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REESE   LIBRARY 

.ij  or  TMI-: 

S     UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


-  •/(•<V.V.S70//S  M). 


(Sreat  Commanbers 

EDITED  BY  JAMES  GRANT   WILSON 


GENERAL  TAYLOR 


ZLbe  Great  Gommanfcer  Series, 

EDITED  BY  GENERAL  JAMES  GRANT  WILSON. 


Admiral  Farragut. 

By  Captain  A.  T.  MAHAN,  U.  S.  N. 

General  Taylor. 

By  General  O.  O.  HOWARD,  U.  S.  A. 

IN  PREPARATION: 

General  Jackson. 

By  JAMES  PARTON. 
General  Washington. 

By  General  BRADLEY  T.  JOHNSON. 

General  Greene. 

By  Captain  FRANCIS  V.  GREENE,  U.  S.  A. 

General  Sherman. 

By  General  MANNING  F.  FORCE. 

General  Grant. 

By  General  JAMES  GRANT  WILSON. 

General  J.  E.  Johnston. 

By  ROBERT  M.  HUGHES,  of  Virginia. 

General  Scott. 

By  General  MARCUS  J.  WRIGHT. 

Admiral  Porter. 

By  JAMES  R.  SOLEY,  Assist.  Sec.  of  the  Navy. 

General  Lee. 

By  General  FITZHUGH  LEE. 
General  Thomas. 

By  HENRY  COPPEE,  LL.  D. 

General  Hancock. 

By  General  FRANCIS  A.  WALKER. 

General  Sheridan. 

By  General  HENRY  E.  DAVIES. 


New  York :  D.  APPLETON  &  Co.,  i,  3,  &  5  Bond  St. 


GREAT    COMMANDERS 
*  *  *  * 


GENERAL    TAYLOR 


BY 

OLIVER  OTIS   HOWARD 

MAJOR-GENERAL    U.    S.    ARMY 


WITH  PORTRAIT  AND  MAPS 


NEW   YORK 

D.   APPLETON    AND    COMPANY 
1892 


COPYRIGHT,  1892, 
BY  D.   APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


All  rights  reserved. 


ELECTROTYPED  AND  PRINTED 
AT  THE  APPLETON  PRESS,  U.  S.  A. 


ERRATA. 

Page  113,  line  3,  for  April  read  May, 
"     115,    "     2,  for  April  fead^Vfay. 
"     115,    "     6   from  bottom,  for  April  read 
"     273,    "     8,  for  laid  read  /#>/. 
"     370,    "  17    from  bottom,  for  Wetherspoon  read 

Wotkerspoon. 

Index,  for  Wetherspoon  read  Wotherspoon. 
Map   facing   page    173,    explanation,    for   <?.    Z/£<?  enemy's 
mortar  battery  read  <?.   77/^  mortar  battery. 


unteer — His  longings  tor  a  regular  commission         . 

CHAPTER    III. 

James  Madison's  influence— Jefferson's  appointment  of  Taylor 
to  a  first  lieutenancy — First  duty  at  New  Orleans — Leave 
and  sickness — Military  study — His  marriage — Promoted 
to  the  captaincy  of  the  Seventh  Infantry — General  Will 
iam  H.  Harrison's  operations  in  Northwest  Territory — 
Tecumseh  and  his  brother — Captain  Taylor's  participa- 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

PAGE 

Explanatory  remarks  at  the  threshold  of  Zachary  Taylor's  bi 
ography — Why  his  life  may  very  properly  be  reviewed — 
The  development  of  his  career  compared  with  that  of 
Lincoln  and  Grant — His  daughter's  testimony  to  intrinsic 
worth — How  he  kept  back  United  States  aggression 
against  Mexico — How  he  thwarted  the  forerunners  of 
secession — Some  brief  testimonies  and  sketches  recently 
gathered i 

CHAPTER    II. 

A  brief  family  history — Colonel  Richard,  the  father  of  Zach 
ary  Taylor — A  Revolutionary  officer — The  mother,  Mary 
Strother  Taylor — Zachary  Taylor's  birth — An  emigration 
— The  uncle,  Hancock  Taylor— President  Washington's 
remembrance  of  Colonel  Richard  Taylor — Elisha  Ayres, 
the  teacher — Colonel  Richard  Taylor's  death — Zachary's 
childhood — Influence  of  his  mother — The  environments 
— The  farm-drill — Aaron  Burr's  scheme — The  young  vol 
unteer — His  longings  for  a  regular  commission  .  .16 

CHAPTER    III. 

James  Madison's  influence — Jefferson's  appointment  of  Taylor 
to  a  first  lieutenancy — First  duty  at  New  Orleans — Leave 
and  sickness — Military  study — His  marriage — Promoted 
to  the  captaincy  of  the  Seventh  Infantry — General  W'ill- 
iam  H.  Harrison's  operations  in  Northwest  Territory — 
Tecumseh  and  his  brother — Captain  Taylor's  participa- 


VI  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

PAGE 

tion  in  the  campaign — Tippecanoe — The  War  of  1812 — 
The  right  of  search  claimed,  and  how  instanced — A 
blockade — Taylor's  patriotic  feeling — Declaration  of  war 
— Approved  June  18,  1812 — Canadian  hostile  expedition 
— Major  Muir  and  Chief  Tecumseh — General  Harrison's 
successful  move — Fort  Harrison,  on  the  Wabash,  com 
manded  by  Captain  Zachary  Taylor — The  small  garrison 
— Illness — The  attack  of  Indians,  and  how  repulsed — 
Captain  Taylor's  own  report — The  road  from  Fort  Har 
rison  to  Vincennes — The  ten  days  of  hope  deferred — At 
last  relief  came — Captain  Taylor's  two  communications 
to  General  Hopkins — General  Hopkins's  strong  approval 
of  Captain  Taylor — The  first  brevet — General  Hopkins 
advances — Major  Taylor  helps  in  the  expedition — Gen 
eral  Harrison  commends  him 25 

CHAPTER    IV. 

An  increase  of  regiments — And  then  promotion  to  a  majority 
— His  Rock  River  expedition — A  sudden  reduction  to 
ten  thousand  men — Major  Zachary  Taylor  declines  to  go 
back  to  a  captaincy — Again  in  civil  life — How  General 
William  H.  Harrison  and  other  friends  sought  his  return 
to  service — Next  recommissioned  a  major  of  the  Third 
Infantry — A  furlough  spent  in  Kentucky — Again  a  pro 
motion — A  lieutenant-colonel,  Fourth  Infantry — On  a 
great  variety  of  duties,  as  recruiting,  boards  for  construc 
tions,  for  reorganizing  the  army,  for  uniform,  etc. — Sta 
tioned  at  Baton  Rouge — Then  at  Fort  Crawford,  North 
west  Territory — Indian  Superintendent  for  a  time  by 
detail — Incidents  in  the  Black  Hawk  War — Taylor's 
superb  regulars — General  Atkinson's  praises  .  .  .  41 

CHAPTER   V. 

The  Florida  troubles— Osceola— The  Creeks— The  Seminoles 
— The  threatened  Western  removals — The  black  flag 
and  massacres — Major  Dade  and  his  detachment — The 
Everglades  of  Florida — Old  Generals  Clinch,  Jessup, 
and  others — President  Van  Buren's  message — Taylor's 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

PAGE 

fac-simile  letter  written  at  Fort  Crawford,  July  14,  1837 
— Taylor's  careless  dress — A  young  officer's  mistake  and 
chagrin — General  Jessup  defeated  and  wounded  at  Ju 
piter  Inlet,  Fla. — General  Taylor's  arrival  at  Tampa  Bay 
and  Fort  Gardner — His  campaign  of  the  Kissimmee  and 
successful  battle  of  Okeechobee — His  dispatches — His 
excellent  dispositions  of  troops  and  districts — He  seeks 
to  be  relieved — Is  sent  to  Fort  Jessup,  Louisiana  .  .  48 

CHAPTER   VI. 

General  Taylor  at  Baton  Rouge  in  1840 — The  plantation — 
The  beautiful  home  near  the  barracks — How  Mrs.  Hol- 
loway  pictures  the  cottage — Mrs.  Taylor's  comfort  and 
joy — How  the  civil  experience  ended — Sent  to  the  Lou 
isiana  and  Texas  frontier — How  the  Mexican  War  began 
— Taylor's  position — Taylor's  letter  of  July  2oth,  New 
Orleans,  1845 — Sets  out  for  St.  Joseph's  Island — Moved 
to  Corpus  Christi — The  forces — Twiggs's  Cavalry — A 
pleasant  camp 76 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Holding  the  Nueces — Rio  Grande  claimed — Testimony  of  a 
distinguished  friend  still  living — Taylor's  judiciousness — 
Insists  on  orders — The  move  to  Point  Isabel — General 
Taylor  by  land — Major  Monroe  by  sea — Mexican  Gen 
erals,  Mejia  and  Ampudia — What  they  did — Taylor's 
correspondence  with  the  enemy — His  first  discourage 
ments  and  losses — How  operations  were  commenced  in 
the  Rio  Grande  valley — The  blockade  of  the  Rio  Grande 
(or  Rio  del  Norte) — Arista's  coming — His  aims — His 
strong  protest — General  Taylor's  reply  . .  .  .  go 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

The  defense  of  Fort  Brown — Its  garrison — The  move  to 
Point  Isabel — Arista's  dispositions — He  takes  the  offen 
sive — Taylor's  work  at  Point  Isabel — His  march — His 
meeting  Arista  in  battle — The  lines  of  both — The  differ- 


viii  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

PAGE 

ent   attacks,  and  how  met — The  end  of  the  day — The 
council — The  results  of  the  day 104 

CHAPTER    IX. 

Resaca  de  la  Palma — The  appearance  of  the  region — Taylor's 
anxiety  for  Fort  Brown — Details  of  the  decisive  battle — 
Artillery  resistance — May's  celebrated  charge — General 
Taylor's  story  of  the  conflict — The  after-battle — His 
tenderness  toward  the  wounded — A  brief  summary — 
Texas  secured  to  the  Rio  Grande 115 

CHAPTER   X. 

Taylor's  endowment— Reports — Exchange  of  prisoners — The 
rancheros  again — Important  visit  to  Point  Isabel — Ring- 
gold's  and  Blake's  death — After-battle  shadows — Words 
to  La  Vega — The  taking  of  Barita  and  Lower  Rio  Grande 
— Lieutenant-Colonel  Wilson's  expedition — Bridges  and 
launches  —  Arista's  ruse  de  guerre  —  Crossing  the  Rio 
Grande  in  force — The  drowning  of  Lieutenant  George 
Stevens — Arista  in  full  retreat — Arista's  report — Contrast 
of  Arista  and  Taylor,  their  equipoise  and  manners — 
Matamoros  in  1892 — Schools  and  public  improvements 
evincing  progress 125 

CHAPTER    XL 

Three  months'  rest  of  Taylor's  army — Leaders  of  the  Whig 
party  looking  to  Taylor  as  candidate  for  the  presidency — 
Extracts  from  letters  relating  thereto — Taylor  brevetted 
Major-General — Given  full  rank  a  little  later — Taylor's 
plans  coincident  with  Scott's — Movement  on  Camargo 
begun — Taylor's  popularity  with  his  soldiers — His  self- 
denial — Care  for  the  sick  on  the  steamer  .  .  .  .139 


CHAPTER   XII, 

3ture  of  Monterey 

vironments — Arista  relieved,  Monterey  defended  by  Am- 
pudia — His  inspiring  address — Taylor's  troops — Prepara- 


CHAPTER   XII. 

The  storming  and  capture  of  Monterey — The  city  and  en 
vironments — Arista  relieved,  Monterey  defended  by  Am- 


CONTENTS.  IX 

PAGE 

tions  for  battle — Rain  and  severe  cold  of  the  first  night — 
Battle  at  daybreak — Cheers  drew  a  heavy  fire — Quickness 
of  Worth's  batteries  astonishes  the  Mexicans — Worth  at 
tempts  the  mountain  forts — Federacion  captured,  its  guns 
turned  on  Saldado — Mexican  panic — Soldado  captured — 
Effort  of  Mexican  commander  to  charge,  driven  back — 
Duncan  and  Mackall's  batteries 149 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

The  storming  and  capture  of  Monterey  (continued) — Story  of 
the  north  front — Baltimore  and  Washington  volunteers 
break — Regulars  worked  forward  under  great  resistance 
into  Monterey — Brilliant  work  of  Captain  Backus — Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Garland  withdraws  his  men — Terrible  en 
counter  of  the  Fourth  Infantry — General  Quitman  sur 
prises  his  foes,  who  abandon  their  wounded  and  flee — 
General  Butler  and  Colonel  Mitchell  wounded — Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Garland  again — The  strong  diversion  ac 
complished — The  night  rest,  at  El  Bosque — Prolonged 
through  the  22d  of  September  —  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Child's  night  march  and  morning  assault — The  redoubt 
upon  Lomade  Independencia  captured  at  dawn — Bishop's 
Palace  taken — A  combined  Mexican  effort — How  met  by 
General  Worth  and  defeated — General  Morales's  proposal 
miscarried — General  Taylor  and  Jefferson  Davis — Am- 
pudia's  letter — Taylor's  reply — Preliminaries  to  the  armis 
tice  and  capitulation — The  terms  agreed  upon  .  .  164 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

Terms  of  the  capitulation  objected  to — Causes  of  Taylor's 
leniency — Comments  of  American  members  of  the  Joint 
Commission — Bravery  of  both  sides — Taylor's  force  too 
small  for  complete  investment — Too  small  for  effective 
pursuit — Ammunition  and  supplies  gained,  etc. — Taylor's 
own  defense — Letters  to  the  Secretary  of  War — Sure  es 
cape  of  the  bulk  of  Ampudia's  force  except  for  the  capitu 
lation — Loss  of  life — Explosions  of  magazines — Damage 
to  the  city — The  capitulation  paralyzed  the  enemy  for  a 


X  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

PAGE 

period  when  he  could  not  have  moved  for  want  of 
wagons — Troops  taken  from  Taylor  without  consultation 

Results  of  liberal  treatment — Private  letter  of  Taylor's 

which  explains  the  situation  and  the  necessity  of  the  ca 
pitulation — His  good  heart — General  Taylor's  graceful 
commendation  of  his  officers  and  men  .  .  .  .185 

CHAPTER   XV. 

New  Washington  plans— Reduction  of  force — Santa  Anna 
and  Paredes — Hon.  William  L.  Marcy's  letter  to  Taylor 
— Taylor's  occupation  deemed  a  blessing— More  fault 
finding—Taylor's  official  replies— General  Wool's  col 
umn — The  new  line 2O3 

CHAPTER   XVI. 

Planning  to  take  Saltillo — Worth's  division  on  the  lead— Gen 
eral  Worth's  column— Its  line  of  march— Jose  Maria's 
letter_Mexican  feeling— Worth  and  Taylor  meet— Re 
turn  to  Monterey — Patterson's  movements  approved  by 
Taylor— General  Scott  comes  to  the  front— Secretary  of 
War  writes — Taylor  replies,  and  makes  just  complaints- 
Scott's  good  letter— Remarks  eulogistic  of  two  remark 
able  heroes  .  •  2I9 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Preliminary  to  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista— W7hy  Scott  was 
obliged  to  levy  upon  General  Taylor's  army— Worth  and 
Wool's  movements— Saltillo— The  advance  to  Agua 
Nuevo— The  falling  back  to  Angostura— Posting  of  the 
troops  for  battle— Visit  of  Taylor  to  Saltillo  and  return- 
Santa  Anna's  advance  from  San  Luis  Potosi— Santa 
Anna's  letter  demanding  the  surrender  of  Taylor— Tay 
lor's  prompt  reply,  .declining— Santa  Anna's  dispositions  .  234 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Battle  of  Buena  Vista— The  22d  of  February— First  day's 
tmeute—  Second  day's  engagement — Return  to  Saltillo — 
The  rest  at  night— The  first  combat  in  the  morning— 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE 

The  Mexican  order  and  advance — General  Wool's  efforts 
— His  left  driven  back — General  Taylor's  timely  arrival 
— The  fearful  struggle  for  the  plateau — The  batteries ; 
how  handled — Lieutenant  Kingsbury's  story  of  the  Mis- 
sissippians  and  their  coadjutors — The  victory  .  .  .  250 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

Comments  made  by  General  Taylor  and  others,  with  letters 
bearing  upon  the  remarkable  battle  of  Buena  Vista — Sig 
nificant  statement — Sorrow  tempers  his  rejoicing — Good 
conduct  of  the  troops — Effectiveness  of  Taylor's  artillery 
— The  enterprise  of  volunteers — How  Colonel  Jefferson 
Davis  became  forgiven — Letter  to  General  Butler  from 
Agua  Nueva — Letter  to  Henry  Clay — Another  to  Gov 
ernor  Lincoln — Defensive  communication  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  War — Santa  Anna's  defense  of  his  retreat — Formal 
orders  of  congratulation 274 

CHAPTER    XX. 

A  messenger  sent  to  Washington — Escort  attacked — Mexican 
General  Urrea  took  the  field,  and  filled  the  military  de 
partment  with  troublesome  detachments — General  Tay 
lor  defeated  him,  and  cleared  his  whole  front — Head 
quarters  again  at  Monterey  —  Walnut  Springs — Com 
parative  quiet — Perplexing  letters  from  all  parts — How 
answered  —  The  candidacy  for  the  presidency  of  the 
United  States  kept  before  General  Taylor's  mind  in  spite 
of  efforts  to  mind  only  his  military  work  ....  292 

CHAPTER    XXI. 

Five  national  parties  in  the  field — The  Oregon  Question  irri 
tates  —  Tariff  —  Internal  improvements  —  Slavery  —  Mr. 
Clay's  compromises — Taylor  and  his  three  hundred 
slaves — Taylor  a  Whig,  but  never  a  partisan — Defines 
his  principles  in  the  Allison  letter — Daniel  Webster's 
feeling — Democratic  Baltimore  Convention  of  1848 — 
Whig  Philadelphia  Convention — Taylor  nominated  by  a 
large  majority  .........  302 


Xll  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

Receptions  and  public  dinners — The  inaugural  ball — The  ad 
dress  as  published — Clear  enunciation  of  principles — The 
Cabinet — The  household  at  the  White  House — Mrs. 
Bettie  Bliss  at  a  public  gathering — Some  great  names 
associated  with  Zachary  Taylor 314 

*• 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

The  state  of  the  country  after  Taylor's  election — The  testi 
mony  of  Dr.  Upham,  a  living  witness — Northern  senti 
ments — Southern  fears  and  feeling — Conservative  minds 
illustrated — President  Taylor  the  "  steadying  center  " — 
Hon.  Herman  White,  of  Cohoes,  New  York,  shows  the 
angry  element  in  Congress — A  Northern  man  and  a 
Southern  of  sympathetic  Union  views  meet — A  "  Fire- 
eater  "  and  Edward  Stanley — The  last  speech  of  John  C. 
Calhoun — Pierce  and  Calhoun — How  General  Taylor 
met  disloyal  threats— The  six  Southern  friends — Con 
fidence  in  Daniel  WTebster  and  what  he  accomplished — 
Georgia's  vote — How  Union  men  turned  away — The 
faults  of  Pierce's  administration — Taylor  loved  the  flag  .  348 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Concluding  remarks — White  House  routine — Mrs.  Bliss  at 
the  White  House — Some  gentle  criticisms — The  Fourth 
of  July — The  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  Washington's 
monument — President  Taylor's  part — The  heat  of  the 
day — The  imprudences  of  the  President — His  sudden 
sickness — The  general  alarm — The  reports  pro  and  con — 
The  last  scene,  and  the  last  words  of  President  Taylor — 
Millard  Fillmore,  the  Vice-President — What  he  did— 
The  funeral  ceremonies — The  testimony  of  Thomas  H. 
Benton,  Daniel  Webster,  and  other  public  men — All 
honor  to  the  American  soldier  ! 366 


LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FACING 
PAGE 


Portrait  of  Zachary  Taylor     ....       Frontispiece 

Part  of  Texas  and  Northern   Mexico,  showing  the  Field  of 

Taylor's  Operations 9° 

Plan  of  the  Battle  of  Palo  Alto    ...                           .116 
Vicinity  of  Monterey  and  Saltillo 149 

Plan  of  the  City  of  Monterey,  State  of  New  Leon,  Septem 
ber,  1846 .173 

Plan  of  the  Battle  of  Buena  Vista 241 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Explanatory  remarks  at  the  threshold  of  Zachary  Taylor's  biogra 
phy — Why  his  life  may  very  properly  be  reviewed — The  de 
velopment  of  his  career  compared  with  that  of  Lincoln  and 
Grant — His  daughter's  testimony  to  intrinsic  worth — How 
he  kept  back  United  States  aggression  against  Mexico — How 
he  thwarted  the  forerunners  of  secession — Some  brief  testi 
monies  and  sketches  recently  gathered. 

To  make  a  thorough  study  of  one  who  has  long 
had  a  prominent  place  among  historic  characters, 
there  ought  to  be  abundant  material  derived  from 
independent  sources.  The  unconscious  testimony 
of  intimates  who  have  lived  near  him  or  written  con 
cerning  him  often  lets  you  see  the  bona-fide  indi 
vidual.  A  well-preserved  likeness  or  portrait  may 
exhibit  the  size  and  shape  of  his  head,  the  strength 
of  his  chin,  the  firmness  of  his  closed  lips,  or  the 
closely  knit  frame.  His  letters  or  other  writings  will 
contain  not  only  the  style  of  the  composer,  but  to 
the  persistent,  appreciative  searcher,  the  very  spirit 
of  the  man  may  be  discovered  and  absorbed  from 
them.  And,  of  course,  while  small  things  indicate 
phases  of  character,  his  choicest  achievements,  if 
there  be  a  fair  record  of  them,  must  contain  the  best 
and  fullest  revelations  of  a  noble  soul. 


2  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

But  to  make  an  appropriate  and  acceptable  ex 
hibit  of  your  wares  is  something  quite  different  from 
the  simple  possession  of  them.  Such  exhibit  demands 
a  knowledge  of  the  tastes  and  desires  of  the  people 
who  are  to  come  to  see  them.  And,  certainly,  whenever 
any  conscientious  biographer,  who  has  studied  well 
and  pondered  long  the  thoughts  and  acts  of  his  sub 
ject,  puts  forth  the  results,  it  always  is  problematical 
whether  he  can  or  can  not  be  able  to  bring  other 
minds  into  close  enough  fellowship  to  behold  them. 
It  is  therefore  with  no  little  trepidation  that  the 
unknown  reading  public  is  herein  invited  to  a  re 
view  of  the  life  of  Zachary  Taylor. 

This  subject  of  our  sketch,  as  an  army  officer,  had 
served  in  peace  and  in  active  campaign  before  the 
Mexican  War  sufficiently  long  to  gain  a  practical 
and  extended  military  knowledge  and  personal  dis 
cipline.  In  the  War  of  1812,  as  we  shall  see,  he  made 
his  brilliant  points  and  gained  a  substantial  reward 
by  receiving  a  brevet  commission  above  his  grade — 
among  the  first  of  that  kind  given  to  any  officers  in 
our  country.  After  this  war,  stationed  at  different 
points  throughout  our  extended  Western  frontier, 
like  other  officers  associated  with  him,  he  did  his  in 
cumbent  duty,  certainly  without  serious  official  criti 
cism  ;  but  as  yet  there  was  nothing  in  the  wake  of 
his  genius  or  special  superiority  to  be  seized  upon. 
When,  however,  imbecility  and  weakness  had  been 
exhibited  by  one  commander  after  another  in  the 
management  of  a  Southern  department,  the  minds 
of  our  administrators  were  at  last  turned  toward 
Taylor,  who  had  in  his  favor  a  long  and  sturdy 
record.  Slowly  promoted  from  grade  to  grade,  he 
had  now  become  a  middle-aged  colonel. 


A   COMPREHENSIVE    VIEW.  3 

As  an  untried  experiment  in  Florida  affairs,  a  sort 
of  forlorn  hope,  he  was  communicated  with  and  or 
dered  to  the  new  field.  His  marches,  battles,  and 
partial  successes  in  this  difficult  area  of  operations 
are  unique  and  of  intrinsic  interest.  At  last  he  made 
an  active  campaign,  without  hesitancy,  fought  a 
bloody  battle,  and  thereby  gained  considerable  public 
notice,  and  was  raised  to  the  honorary  rank  of  the 
next  grade,  so  that  after  this  campaign  he  was  de 
nominated  General  Taylor. 

In  the  days  when  information  was  so  long  in 
going  from  place  to  place,  even  his  Indian  campaign 
and  gallant  conduct  did  not  really  bring  him  very 
much  before  the  general  public.  A  few  people  sim 
ply  knew  that  there  was  an  officer  of  the  army  by 
the  name  of  Taylor,  from  Kentucky,  who,  in  several 
emergencies  like  those  referred  to,  had  done  his  duty 
nobly,  for  which  he  had  received  a  major's  commis 
sion,  and  afterward  one  of  brigadier-general.  Proba 
bly  few  persons  beyond  the  army  circles  and  some 
members  of  Congress  knew  even  as  much  as  that 
concerning  Zachary  Taylor. 

When  the  Mexican  War  commenced,  his  sterling 
qualities  were  recalled  and  published,  and  brought 
him  quickly  into  demand.  His  aptitude  for  war  that 
had  steadily  developed  in  remote  places,  like  that  of 
Von  Moltke,  began  to  manifest  itself — e.  g.,  in  Texas, 
at  Corpus  Christi — and  was  more  apparent  as  soon  as 
he  reached  the  Rio  Grande.  The  battles  of  Palo  Alto, 
Resaca  de  la  Palma,  Monterey,  and  Buena  Vista 
surprised  his  countrymen,  and  much  more  so  his  ene 
mies.  Over  the  Mexican  forces,  always  exceeding 
his  own  in  numbers,  and  well  commanded,  he  uni 
formly  gained  a  victory.  The  last  battle,  Buena 


4  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Vista,  which  with  the  others  will  hereafter  be  dis 
cussed  in  detail,  was  certainly  phenomenal,  for  there 
had  been  taken  from  him,  shortly  before,  nearly  all 
his  regular  troops,  and  his  volunteers  were  not  only 
few  in  number,  but  many  of  them  recruits  unaccus 
tomed  to  hostile  shots;  yet  fearlessly  he  took  a  po 
sition  with  a  view  to  the  defending  of  a  city  outside 
and  beyond  the  limits  of  that  city  ;  he  met  without 
hesitation  a  greatly  superior  force,  commanded  by 
one  of  the  ablest  generals  of  the  age,  and  delivered 
such  a  successful  battle  against  him  that  it  put  an 
end,  for  the  war,  to  the  enemy's  efforts  along  that 
important  line  of  operations. 

If  we  trace  the  lives  of  Washington,  of  Lincoln, 
or  of  Grant,  step  by  step,  we  see  in  each  of  them  a 
time  of  unconscious  preparation.  There  seemed  to 
be  at  first  little  or  no  anticipation  in  their  own  minds 
of  the  great  parts  they  were  to  play.  Still,  as  we  go 
back  along  their  early  pathways  we  find  the  process 
of  molding  and  fitting  very  thoroughly  done  ;  and 
at  the  proper  time — in  fact,  in  the  fullness  of  time — 
they  are  each  of  them  launched  out  before  the  whole 
world,  like  ships  well  constructed  and  well  equipped, 
as  superior  men,  equal  to  the  greatest,  equal  to  the 
leading  generals  of  the  century,  yes,  markedly  su 
perior  to  sundry  great  kings  a-nd  princes  who  have 
been  reared  avowedly  for  the  conception,  study,  and 
accomplishment  of  high  things.  As  with  these  three, 
so  with  Zachary  Taylor.  His  early  education  was 
very  limited.  His  work  in  early  manhood  was  for 
the  most  part  out  of  sight  and  outside  the  pale  of 
ordinary  society;  on  a  Kentucky  farm;  at  small 
frontier  posts;  or  campaigning  far  off  from  civilized 
centers  against  a  few  bands  of  savages. 


A   COMPREHENSIVE   VIEW.  5 

It  is  now  late  in  life.  Nothing  especially  brilliant 
during  its  brief  term  is  expected  of  him  by  his  coun 
trymen.  But  suddenly  this  man  is  raised  up  to  be 
the  most  noticeable  figure  of  the  land;  and  then 
soon,  like  Lincoln  and  Grant,  he  comes  to  sit  in  the 
presidential  chair,  holding  as  high  an  office  as  the 
world  can  offer.  It  is  surely  the  Lord's  doings,  and 
it  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes.  One  beholder  said  of 
Taylor  :  "  He  was  upright,  it  is  admitted.  Yet  in  all 
the  biographies,  in  all  the  speeches  made  concerning 
him,  his  enlargement  of  soul  has  not  been  dwelt  upon  ; 
nobody  has  indicated  that  he  had  attained  even  a  de 
gree  in  spirituality,  as  becometh  a  man  of  God !  " 
A  friend  of  Zachary  Taylor's,  hearing  this  remark, 
answered :  "  That  may  be  so,  but  an  honest  man  is 
the  noblest  work  of  God.  He  was,  like  Cyrus  of  old, 
an  exponent  of  God's  handiwork ;  he  was  an  instru 
ment  in  God's  hands  for  executing  his  purposes." 

His  daughter's  picture  gives  undoubtedly  the  true 
version ;  she  says :  "  My  father's  nature  was  most 
kindly  and  affectionate ;  and,  while  not  a  professor 
of  religion,  he  had  the  greatest  respect  for  true  piety, 
and  was  honorable,  straightforward,  and  conscien 
tious  in  all  his  dealings.  He  was  a  constant  reader 
of  the  Bible  and  practiced  all  its  precepts,  acknowl 
edging  his  responsibility  to  God.  There  never  was 
a  more  tender  and  devoted  father ;  and  his  children 
had  the  highest  respect,  love,  and  confidence  in  him. 
His  letters,  written  while  I  was  separated  from  him, 
were  models  of  good  counsel,  and  I  regret  that  I 
have  not  been  able  to  preserve  them." 

Such  was  Zachary  Taylor.  A  man  of  noble  parts, 
and  one,  without  doubt,  chosen  from  among  his  coun 
trymen,  like  Moses  and  Joshua  and  David,  by  the 


6  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

great  Disposer  of  human  events,  to  work  out  for 
other  hands  to  record  a  most  important  part  of  hu 
man  history — that  which  lies  in  the  formative  period 
of  a  great  liberty-bearing  nation.  It  is  a  fine  model. 
And  so  there  falls  to  the  writer  a  singularly  pleasant 
task — viz. :  step  by  step  to  review  his  unique  biog 
raphy  and  endeavor  to  present  somewhat  in  detail 
the  achievements  of  his  career. 

It  may  be  well  to  notice  in  these  primary  state 
ments  a  few  things  which,  if  there  were  nothing  else, 
will  justify  this  biography  in  an  historic  point  of  view. 
It  will  be  seen,  in  the  course  of  the  story — 

First.  How  Taylor,  by  his  carefulness  in  a  great 
crisis,  preserved  the  honor  of  the  nation.  For  the 
sake  of  personal  ambition  and  the  glory  of  his  arms 
he  did  not  hasten  into  the  great  conflict  with  Mexico, 
not  advancing  till  constrained  by  imperative  orders 
to  do  so,  and  even  under  such  orders  his  army  did 
not  strike  the  first  blow.  This  was  the  enemy's 
doing. 

Second.  How  again  as  President,  when  the  sen 
timents  and  sympathies  of  his  section  of  the  United 
States  had  become  already  ripe  for  secession  or  revo 
lution,  he  carefully  kept  himself  informed,  and  pre 
pared  his  forces  against  a  sudden  outbreak,  and,  to 
the  chagrin  of  extremists,  so  suppressed  the  budding 
rebellion  that  it  had  to  be  postponed  for  more  than 
ten  years.  How  providential  that  we  had  such  a 
President  in  the  very  nick  of  time  !  For  then  the  na 
tional  elements  were  charged  with  opposite  currents, 
and  no  national  party,  had  he  but  favored  secession, 
would  have  been  ready  or  able  to  save  the  Union 
from  a  disastrous  wreck.  Then  all  honor,  under 
God,  to  Zachary  Taylor,  clad  as  he  was  from  youth 


A  COMPREHENSIVE   VIEW.  7 

to  age  in  national  armor,  for  the  unflinching  and  in 
dispensable  part  he  bore  in  preserving  the  nation. 

During  a  recent  visit  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  Baton 
Rouge,  La.,  Point  Isabel,  Texas,  and  to  the  several 
battle-fields  connected  with  the  name  and  fame  of 
General  Taylor  in  Texas  and  Mexico,  it  was  the 
writer's  privilege  to  meet  several  aged  men  who  knew 
the  subject  of  his  sketch  at  the  time  of  Taylor's  most 
active  days,  nearly  half  a  century  ago.  The  first  re 
membrance  uniformly  mentioned  is  his  gentleness 
of  manner  and  kindness  of  heart.  One  veteran,  a 
political  friend,  at  Baton  Rouge,  said :  "  Oh,  yes,  I 
knew  the  old  man  well.  He  was  a  kind,  courteous 
man,  but  a  little  close  with  his  money  when  he  lived 
here  and  carried  on  his  plantation  up  the  river." 

Ques.  "  Did  he  pay  his  debts  ?  " 

Ans.  "Why,  certainly;  he  was  an  honest  man, 
but  never  lavish;  always  economical." 

The  venerable  Dr.  Charles  Macmanus,  living  at 
Matamoras,  who  at  twenty-two  years  of  age  was  a 
surgeon  in  Taylor's  army  and  who  knew  him  well, 
when  asked  by  General  Howard  how  Taylor  looked, 
said:  "Ah,  general,  he  looked  like  you  ;  he  was  as 
old  as  you  are  now,  with  iron-gray  hair  and  full 
beard.  He  was  very  solicitous  for  the  health  of  his 
men.  I  was  called  from  Louisiana  because,  though 
young,  I  had  already  had  experience  with  the  cholera 
which  was  then  threatening  his  troops  in  the  Rio 
Grande  valley." 

A  veteran  physician  by  the  name  of  Smith,  at 
Saltillo,  who  came  there  just  after  the  Mexican  War, 
talked  of  Taylor's  operations  as  evincing  genius, 
firmness,  and  perseverance  ;  but  his  dignity  and  kind 
ness  of  manner  were  especially  emphasized.  At  the 


3  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

City  of  Mexico  a  Mr.  Carr,  a  strongly  built,  gray- 
bearded  veteran,  who  was  an  army  trader  approach 
ing  Monterey  in  company  with  a  train  under  mili 
tary  escort  just  after  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  and 
who  lost  all  he  had  in  the  train,  had  many  reminis 
cences  of  his  interviews  with  General  Taylor.  The 
strong  impression  made  by  the  general  upon  him, 
he  being  at  the  time  a  very  young  man,  has  never 
been  effaced.  The  officer  in  charge  of  the  train  and 
escort,  on  hearing  of  the  approach  of  hostile  cavalry, 
after  consulting  with  all  concerned,  concluded  to  dis 
obey  General  Taylor's  orders  that  had  been  sent  and 
acknowledged — viz .:  "  to  turn  back  and  go  into  park." 
He,  on  the  contrary,  thought  it  safer  to  push  straight 
on  night  and  day  and  try  to  reach  Monterey.  The 
officer  was  overwhelmingly  attacked  and  lost  his 
train,  and  so  General  Taylor  was  vexed  beyond 
measure.  Mr.  Carr,  who  with  a  few  others  escaped 
capture,  made  his  way  after  a  time  to  General  Tay 
lor's  camp.  The  general  at  once  sent  for  the  young 
man  to  make  inquiries.  To  use  Mr.  Carr's  own 
language:  "General  Taylor,  on  my  coming  to  his 
tent,  was  so  angry  that  he  could  not  finish  a  sen 
tence.  You  know,"  he  said,  "he  stammered  some 
when  excited.  'Why  did  that  officer  disobey  my  or 
ders?  '  He  was  so  excited  and  angry  that  he  would 
not  then  hear  my  explanation,  and  so  after  a  few 
monosyllables  I  went  off.  Next  day  he  sent  for  me 
again,  treated  me  most  kindly,  and,  after  he  had 
heard  all  about  the  affair,  thanked  me.  Two  or  three 
times  after  that  he  had  me  come  and  explain ;  and 
finally  forgave  the  disobedient  officer  his  offense." 

Such  an  incident,  remembered  so  long,  is  a  revela 
tion.    Of  course,  Taylor  was  a  man  of  like  passions  as 


v 

A  COMPREHENSIVE   VIEW.  g 

ourselves.  The  more  points  of  observation  we  have 
from  which  to  study  him,  the  more  he  seems  to  re 
semble  Grant  and  Thomas.  He  had  Grant's  firm 
ness  and  generosity  to  subordinates,  with  Thomas's 
sturdiness,  gentleness,  not  excluding  a  capacity  for 
excitement  in  an  emergency.  We  will  be  better  able, 
however,  by  and  by  to  make  a  fuller  estimate  of  the 
character  of  the  man.  The  childhood,  the  boyhood, 
and  the  young  manhood  of  noble  men  are  always 
as  needful  to  completeness  of  portraiture  as  is  the 
solidity  of  after-life ;  and  they  are  especially  helpful  to 
the  young  who  are  thoughtful  and  aspiring. 

The  scenes  of  Zachary  Taylor's  childhood  in  Ken 
tucky,  not  far  from  the  Ohio,  have  not  changed  much 
since  the  early  days.  There  are  the  same  rolling 
prairies,  the  same  open  stretches,  the  same  limpid 
streams,  with  cotton-wood  trees  now  of  immense 
size.  A  few  of  the  log-houses  of  early  settlers  are 
still  there  attached  as  kitchens  to  large  farm  houses, 
and  high  fences  divide  up  the  old  farm  that  in  Zach- 
ary's  young  days  had  no  such  divisions  to  hinder  his 
riding  in  straight  lines,  so  making  shorter  distances 
than  by  present  roads  to  the  growing  town.  A 
country  cemetery  is  formed  by  a  rectangular  stone 
wall,  where  we  find  a  famous,  handsome,  granite 
monument  surmounted  by  a  rather  diminutive  figure 
of  our  hero.  The  natural  size,  not  of  the  real  man 
but  of  the  statue,  has  grown  small  by  too  much  ele 
vation.  The  old  evergreens  in  the  northeast  corner 
are  large,  umbrageous,  and  solemn.  The  ancient 
tomb,  half  buried,  faced  with  stone  blocks  which  have 
been  moved  out  and  in  by  the  winter's  frosts,  with 
its  low,  closed  door  in  the  middle  front,  gives  the 
visitor  a  feeling  that  he  is  within  the  precincts  of  a 


I0  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

distant  past.  This  effect  upon  his  thought  is  in 
creased  by  the  different  members  of  the  great  Tay 
lor  family  that  he  finds  here  buried  near  the  same 
sacred  corner.  With  difficulty  he  deciphers  the  old 
dates  upon  the  little  monuments  and  moss-covered 
headstones,  which  are  themselves,  like  all  things  ma 
terial  and  mortal,  bending  with  years. 

So  here,  a  few  short  miles  from  the  active,  throb 
bing  city  of  Louisville,  the  signs  of  youth  and  age,  of 
the  present  and  the  past,  meet,  and,  if  we  can  read 
them  aright,  furnish  us  with  object-lessons  which  en 
hance  the  value  of  the  fleeting  years  and  take  fresh 
hold  upon  that  which  is  beyond  the  natural  vision. 
The  people  there  buried,  both  men  and  women,  were 
once  tenants  of  good,  humble  homes.  They  were 
pioneers  and  patriots;  and  as  we  touch  here  and 
there  the  memorials  of  their  deeds,  we  revere  them. 
Their  spirits  in  their  appointed  time  went  back  to 
God  who  gave  them.  So  every  old  tree,  every  old 
tomb,  monument,  or  headstone,  while  it  reminds  us  of 
a  bit  of  history,  yet  speaks  more  distinctly  of  trees 
that  can  not  wither,  of  dwelling  places  whose  fitness 
and  beauty  pass  human  knowledge  and  description — 
but,  with  even  more  emphasis,  of  the  tenants  that  can 
never,  never  lose  their  life  and  glory. 

At  Baton  Rouge,  the  charming  family  cottage  of 
Mrs.  Taylor,  from  which  she  dispensed,  during  the 
great  suspense  and  agonies  of  a  grievous  war,  com 
fort  and  blessing  to  her  humble  neighbors,  the  absent 
soldiers'  wives  and  children,  has  been  torn  down  and 
carried  away.  But  the  grand  old  Mississippi  flows 
there  still,  having  encroached  somewhat  upon  the 
door-yard  in  its  unsparing  greed;  but  it  has  dili 
gently  kept  green  the  surrounding  turf  and  well 


A   COMPREHENSIVE   VIEW.  u 

watered  the  roots  of  the  four  China  trees  which  once 
sheltered  the  inmates  of  a  unique  American  home. 
These  trees  have  a  few  old  knots  and  dry  limbs,  but 
are  still  green  and  flourishing,  and  give  shelter  to 
the  flocks  of  happy  birds  that  even  in  winter  empha 
size  the  attractions  of  such  a  Southern  site.  No 
wonder  Mrs.  Taylor  loved  this  choice  spot  of  earth 
with  its  home  comforts  more  than  a  palace  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac. 

As  we  stood  and  looked  at  the  great  portrait  at 
the  Baton  Rouge  capitol,  an  old  resident  told  a 
strange  story  about  it,  to  wit:  "Why,  sir,  that  is 
Zachary  Taylor's  head  and  body  with  another  man's 
legs !  " 

"  How  so,  my  friend  ?  " 

"  Oh,  the  old  gentleman  would  not  sit  as  a  model. 
When  he  was  little  thinking  of  it  the  artist  sketched 
his  head  and  body ;  but,  as  the  general  declared  that 
he  could  not  afford  the  time  for  further  operations, 
the  poor  artist  was  obliged  to  finish  with  another  man." 

Well,  the  result  is  fairly  good.  The  face  is  not  so 
firm  and  strong  as  that  of  other  portraits,  and  he  ap 
pears  like  a  taller  man  than  his  actual  height  would 
perhaps  warrant ;  yet  it  is  a  well-executed  and  well- 
preserved  full-length  picture,  comparing  favorably 
with  its  companion  piece,  that  of  the  indomitable 
hero  of  New  Orleans. 

The  writer  has  received  from  General  C.  L.  Kil- 
burn,  who  was  a  lieutenant  with  General  Taylor  in 
his  Mexican  campaign,  an  engraving  of  his  general 
which,  more  than  any  other  likeness  that  has  been 
presented,  reveals  the  strong  points  in  his  features 
which  always  affected  those  who  came  in  daily  con 
tact  with  him. 


T2  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Through  the  kindness  of  General  Porfirio  Diaz, 
the  eminent  and  most  respected  president  of  the 
Republic  of  Mexico,  who  served  his  country  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  during  the  Mexican  War,  have  been 
obtained  sketches  of  the  uniform  then  used  by  the 
Mexican  army.  He  enabled  the  writer  to  have  ac 
cess  to  every  historic  place,  and  demonstrated  that 
now  every  iota  of  even  sensitive  feeling  has  passed 
away,  and  that  respect,  friendship,  and  wholesome 
emulation  have  been  for  some  time  the  attitude  of 
the  citizens  of  the  two  republics.  The  Mexicans 
have  constantly  honored  their  own  faithful  soldiers, 
as  they  should — and  we,  too,  honor  them  as  we 
attempt  to  record  the  deeds  of  our  own. 

In  the  passion  of  the  hour  of  conflict  and  for 
years  afterward,  stories  are  told  and  perpetuated 
which  are  partial  and  biased ;  but  little  by  little  that 
which  is  hurtful  is  eliminated,  while  the  truth  only, 
which  is  somehow  a  common  final  judgment,  is  abid 
ing.  The  Mexicans,  the  actual  people  of  to-day,  are 
a  kindly,  happy  people.  They  are  particularly  kind 
to  one  another  in  their  family  relations — fathers  and 
mothers  and  grandparents  especially  so  to  the  chil 
dren,  and  children  to  one  another.  And  such,  when 
met  with  Christian  courtesy,  are  quick  to  reciprocate 
good  will — yes,  even  that  of  the  stranger.  And  in 
deed  the  best  of  our  citizens,  with  their  capital  and 
their  learning  and  their  varied  abilities,  are  now  par 
ticularly  welcome  ;  for  under  their  present  rulers 
there  is  a  general  awakening  in  the  line  of  public 
education  and  public  enterprise — an  awakening  in 
which  the  humblest  citizen  is  made  to  participate. 
Long  may  the  good  will  and  friendship  between  the 
two  republics  continue. 


A  COMPREHENSIVE   VIEW.  13 

What  marvelous  changes  in  our  country  since 
Zachary  Taylor  came  on  the  stage  of  action  !  The 
battle-fields  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Illinois,  where 
Wayne,  Harrison,  and  Taylor  marched  far,  fought 
hard,  and  won  their  first  laurels  against  powerful 
tribes  of  Indians,  are  now  scarcely  known  to  the  in 
habitants  of  the  region.  Large  thriving  cities,  such 
as  Vincennes,  Terre  Haute,  and  Peoria,  have  so  long 
existed  and  been  so  connected  with  each  other,  and 
with  greater  cities,  as  Louisville,  Chicago,  St.  Louis, 
Columbus,  and  Cincinnati,  that  the  actual  history  of 
their  sites  appears  to  our  youth,  who  are  obliged,  to 
master  the  facts  of  early  days,  like  mysterious  tales 
of  the  middle  ages. 

If  Captain  Zachary  Taylor  had  been  told  by  some 
inspired  prophet  that  those  vast  stretches  of  Illinois 

those  almost  limitless  prairies,  which  it   took  him 

weeks  to  cross,  and  where  there  was  no  house  or 
fence  or  inhabitant  except  the  venturesome  trapper 
and  the  roving  Indian— would  be  completely  occupied 
with  villages,  cities,  and  farms,  and  traversed  and 
checked  throughout  their  entire  length  and  breadth 
with  public  railways  and  telegraph  lines,  before  the 
close  of  the  nineteenth  century,  he  would  have 
laughed  at  the  revelator  and  accounted  his  story 
but  a  beautiful  dream.  We  of  to-day  know  the  facts, 
and  they  hardly  strike  us,  amid  our  abundance,  with 
wonder.  Yet,  as  gray-haired  men  pause  for  a  few 
weeks  from  the  intense  activity  of  to-day's  business 
and  ride,  as  the  writer  has  just  done,  in  Pullman  cars, 
from  St.  Louis  to  Cincinnati  and  Columbus,  Ohio, 
they  might  call  up  the  past  decades,  and  not  fail  to 
honor  in  their  hearts  the  sturdy  pioneer  patriots  who 
opened  up  these  immense  avenues  of  wealth  and  hap- 


!4  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

piness  to  the  nation  and  the  world.  We  can  not  hesi 
tate  to  reckon  young  Zachary  Taylor  among  the  most 
prominent,  the  most  fearless,  the  most  deserving  of 
those  heroes. 

The  Florida  lands  day  by  day  are  covered  with 
sweet  winter  residences,  superb  hotels,  arid  the 
choicest  villages  and  cities.  Railroads  connect  them 
and  render  them  a  practicable  luxury  to  those  who 
dwell  in  the  colder  parts  of  our  domain.  Fruits,  like 
the  orange,  the  lemon,  the  fig,  and  the  banana,  are 
filling  up  the  intervening  spaces,  and  the  whole  State 
is  fast  becoming  a  home  of  pure  rest  and  refresh 
ment  to  winter  residents  of  refinement  and  culture. 
Even  those  luxuries  have  cost  toil,  suffering,  and 
blood.  Thousands  of  soldiers  have  marched  through 
its  swamps  and  laid  down  their  lives  that  the  beau 
tiful  land  might  have  permanent  peace  and  unstinted 
plenty.  Among  the  boldest,  the  ablest,  the  most  suc 
cessful,  was  Colonel  Zachary  Taylor.  Let  those  who 
cross  the  smooth  and  placid  surface  of  the  Okeecho- 
bee  in  a  luxurious  steamer  call  up  the  old  battle 
field  of  "  Okeechobee,"  and  honor  the  "Rough  and 
Ready  "  American  who  took  this  Gennesaret  from  the 
bloody  Philistines  of  later  days  but  a  few  years  ago ! 

And  there  is  Texas,  large  enough  for  a  kingdom, 
teeming  with  a  prosperous,  self-respecting,  industri 
ous,  rising  population.  That  it  came  to  us  at  all 
and  in  perpetuity,  the  honor  may  be  shared  by  great 
leaders.  But  I  behold  General  Zachary  Taylor,  in 
1845,  1846,  and  1847,  working  with  his  might  in  Ar 
kansas,  on  the  Texas  border  at  Fort  Jesup,  at  Cor 
pus  Christi,  at  Point  Isabel,  and  all  along  in  the 
magnificent  and  fertile  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande — he 
is  at  Matamoras,  then  at  Camargo — a  few  weeks  later 


A   COMPREHENSIVE   VIEW.  15 

at  Monterey,  and  then  he  clears  the  villages  of  the 
gigantic  mountains  of  Sierra  Madre.  What  results 
have  come  since  then  !  Texas  is  free,  is  rich  in  land, 
and  is  now  extending  a  generous  welcome  to  man 
kind.  Who  more  than  Taylor  secured  the  true 
boundaries  of  this  extraordinary  State?  Who  con 
tributed  more  than  he  to  the  present  possibilities  of 
the  country  against  which  he  was  constrained  to 

fight  ? 

Though  Taylor  and  Scott  could  not  have  dreamed 
of  such  possibilities,  they  shall  receive  the  writer's 
salute  of  honor  for  having  projected,  secured,  and 
transmitted  them.  Let  us  now  return  to  the  more 
immediate  work  of  our  biography. 


CHAPTER   II. 

A  brief  family  history — Colonel  Richard,  the  father  of  Zachary  Tay 
lor — A  Revolutionary  officer — The  mother,  Mary  Strother 
Taylor — Zachary  Taylor's  birth — An  emigration — The  uncle, 
Hancock  Taylor — President  Washington's  remembrance  of 
Colonel  Richard  Taylor — Elisha  Ayres,  the  teacher — Colonel 
Richard  Taylor's  death — Zachary's  childhood — Influence  of 
hismother — The  environments — The  farm-drill — Aaron  Burr's 
scheme — The  young  volunteer — His  longings  for  a  regular 
commission. 

THE  sketch  of  nearly  every  American  family  be 
gins  with  a  migration  ;  to  wit,  two  brothers  cross  the 
Atlantic  and  settle,  one  in  Massachusetts  and  the 
other  in  Maryland.  Or,  three  brothers  in  Vermont 
leave  the  paternal  roof  in  early  manhood.  One 
makes  his  abode  in  Illinois,  a  second  in  Iowa,  and 
the  third  takes  up  a  claim  in  western  Oregon.  So 
the  children  of  Anglo-Saxons  migrate  and  divide  the 
family  name.  The  Taylor  family  is  no  exception. 

The  English  transference  of  the  sixteenth  cen 
tury  carried  the  name  from  the  old  country  to  Vir 
ginia.  The  first  prominent  scion  of  this  family, 
which  comes  to  us  from  the  Revolutionary  period,  is 
Richard  Taylor,  a  citizen-soldier  of  eastern  Virginia, 
born  March  22,  1744.  Like  a  late  descendant,  who 
somehow  wandered  into  the  ranks  of  the  Confeder 
ates  during  our  civil  war  of  i86i-'65,  he  was  famil 
iarly  denominated  "  Dick  Taylor."  He  acquired  such 


FAMILY   HISTORY.  \j 

practical  education  as  the  schools  and  the  home  fam 
ily  could  afford  him.  He  exhibited,  even  in  boy 
hood,  a  strong  desire  for  adventure,  and  then  pledged 
a  few  of  his  school-fellows  to  go  with  him  to  explore 
the  Indian  country  and  the  as  yet  unknown  wilds  of 
the  great  West.  And,  indeed,  young  Dick  Taylor 
was  hardly  of  age  when  he  himself,  at  least,  made 
his  projected  journey  through  the  western  counties 
of  Virginia,  across  Kentucky  even  as  far  as  the  Mis 
sissippi  valley,  and  then  southward,  descending  the 
great  river  to  Natchez.  From  this  hamlet,  then  but 
a  trading  post,  he  changed  his  course  northward, 
and,  as  his  biographer  remarks,  "  without  guide  or 
companion,  through  pathless  woods,  over  rivers  and 
mountains,  fearless  alike  of  the  seasons,  of  savages, 
or  of  any  peril  of  his  long  and  lonely  way,  he  walked 
back  to  his  father's  house  in  Virginia." 

As  one  might  anticipate,  Dick  Taylor  early  took 
sides  with  the  patriots  of  1776.  We  soon  find  him  a 
colonel  and  in  command  of  a  Virginia  regiment. 
He  was  a  trusted  soldier  of  General  Washington, 
and  during  the  long  Revolutionary  struggle  formed 
part  of  his  field  force.  Colonel  Richard  Taylor  was 
thirty-five  years  old  before  he  married.  And,  as 
with  most  bachelors  advancing  in  years,  he  was  cap 
tivated  by  a  very  young  lady.  On  August  20,  1779, 
he  wedded  the  charming  captor,  Mary  Strother,  then 
but  nineteen.  As  sons  are  more  likely  to  possess 
and  to  exhibit  the  characteristics  of  their  mothers 
than  of  their  fathers,  the  writer  regrets  that  he  can 
find  so  little  record  concerning  this  good  woman. 
It  is  certain  that  she  came  of  excellent  family,  and 
there  are  not  wanting  abundant  evidences  of  a  pa 
tient,  heroic  fidelity  to  family  duties  as  she  found 


!g  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

them,  and  an  untiring  support  to  the  rougher,  ener 
getic  pioneer  citizen  and  soldier  husband  whom  she 
faithfully  loved. 

They  first  went  to  housekeeping  on  a  Virginia 
plantation  in  Orange  County.  It  is  even  now  but  a 
thinly  settled  country.  Taking  at  the  Potomac  River 
the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad  train  which 
passes  through  Manasses,  the  famous  Bull  Run  bat 
tle-ground,  and  keeping  on  southward,  you  cross 
the  Rappahannock.  Ten  miles  from  this  crossing 
is  Culpeper,  and  ten  miles  farther  on  is  Orange 
Court-House,  the  county  seat  of  Orange  County. 
Here,  in  1781,  the  first  child  of  Colonel  Richard  and 
Mary  S.  Taylor  was  born.  Here  also  came  to  them 
two  other  children — the  third,  Zachary,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  first  seeing  the  light  November  24, 
1784.  Before  this  child  was  a  year  old,  and  when  the 
eldest  was  but  four — that  is,  during  Zachary's  first 
summer — the  family  began  to  make  real  the  hopes 
that  the  worthy  father  had  cherished  ever  since 
his  much-talked-of  romantic  expedition  to  the  Mis 
sissippi.  They  made  the  rough,  hard  journey  from 
Orange  County  to  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  and  settled 
near  what  is  now  Louisville,  Ky.  Fortunately,  Rich 
ard's  brave  brother,  Hancock  Taylor,  the  enterpris 
ing  surveyor,  whom  subsequently  the  Indians  killed 
while  pressing  forward  his  pioneer  work,  had  pre 
ceded  the  little  family.  His  warm  welcome  relieved 
the  hardship  of  the  change. 

Hancock  Taylor,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained, 
himself  occupied  a  farm  all  of  which  is  now  within 
the  limits  of  the  great  city  of  Louisville.  Richard 
took  up  his  plantation  a  little  above  that  of  his 
brother,  erecting  his  main  house  five  or  six  miles  in 


FAMILY    HISTORY.  19 

a  straight  line  from  his  brother's.  The  Bear-grass 
Creek  drained  the  grounds  of  this  large  estate,  or 
"farm,"  as  Zachary  called  the  tract  occupied  and 
cultivated  under  his  father's  supervision. 

Allow  me  a  few  words  more  concerning  this 
frontier  sire  before  we  pass  on  to  dwell  on  the  pecul 
iar  characteristics  and  work  of  his  remarkable  son. 
Though,  by  his  frugality  and  enterprise,  he  suc 
ceeded  in  acquiring  a  choice  property  and  making 
his  growing  family  most  comfortable,  he  did  not  suc 
ceed  in  keeping  himself  from  public  affairs.  Presi 
dent  Washington,  remembering  his  distinguished 
services  and  suitable  character,  appointed  him  Col 
lector  of  the  Port  of  Louisville,  for  Louisiana  was 
as  yet  a  foreign  country,  and  so  this  growing  town 
on  the  Ohio  naturally  became,  to  the  country  beyond 
the  Mississippi,  a  port  of  entry,  and  had  a  bona-fide 
custom-house. 

"  The  young  American's  library  "  has  these  preg 
nant  words  regarding  Richard  Taylor:  "  Renowned 
for  his  desperate  encounters  with  Indians,  he  was  a 
prominent  man  in  civil  life,  holding  many  offices  in 
the  State  of  his  adoption,  and  serving  in  many  of 
the  national  electoral  colleges."  So  much  for  Rich 
ard  Taylor's  public  life.  His  domestic  record  is 
meager,  but  pertinent  and  without  blemish.  He 
provided  well  for  his  large  family,  consisting  of  a 
wife  and  eight  healthy  children — five  sons  and  three 
daughters. 

After  the  emigration  to  Kentucky  he  was  at  first 
puzzled  as  to  their  proper  education.  At  last  he  em 
ployed  a  private  tutor  from  New  England.  For  sev 
eral  years  Elisha  Ayres  served  him  acceptably  in  that 
capacity.  And  as  Mr.  Ayres  finally  had  something 


20  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

like  a  New  England  school-house  in  his  keeping  and 
for  his  charge,  it  is  inferred  that  Colonel  Taylor  had 
these  educational  privileges  extended  to  the  children 
of  his  neighbors,  none  of  whom  abode  at  that  day 
very  near  to  him  or  to  each  other.  After  a  long  and 
useful  life,  beloved  by  his  family  and  highly  esteemed 
by  his  neighbors,  Colonel  Taylor  died  in  peace  at  his 
own  homestead,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two. 

The  preceding  history  gives  glimpses  of  the  in 
heritance  of  Zachary  Taylor,  Richard's  son,  a  health 
ful  American  boy.  From  babyhood  he  was  in  the 
country  on  a  large  farm  and  in  a  sizable  family. 
His  father,  as  we  have  seen,  was  a  solid  man  of  much 
energy  and  worthy  achievement.  His  mother  was  a 
woman  of  mark.  She  always,  and  often  under  the 
most  unfavorable  circumstances,  gave  to  husband 
and  children  a  cheerful  and  happy  home.  In  the 
midst  of  personal  exposure  and  untold  danger,  in 
Kentucky,  she  ever  kept  up  her  fortitude  and  cour 
age.  These  characteristics  indeed  are  not  extraor 
dinary,  but  when  we  discover  a  firm  superstructure 
we  love  to  inspect  the  foundation,  and  generally  find 
it,  as  in  this  case,  very  good. 

The  surroundings  of  young  Taylor  in  childhood 
were  peculiar,  probably  too  exciting,  had  he  been  of 
a  nervous  temperament ;  but  for  a  sturdy,  hardy  lad 
like  him,  with  a  cool  and  self-possessed  mother  to 
encourage  him,  they  were  calculated  to  strengthen 
and  develop  the  child  into  a  self-possessed,  sturdy 
American  youth.  Mr.  Ayres's  picture  of  the  people 
of  the  neighborhood  is  suggestive  :  "  They  were  often 
engaged  in  offensive  or  defensive  skirmishes  with  the 
Indians."  A  number  of  those  wild  men  were  known 
to  be  in  the  woods  not  far  distant  from  the  school- 


FAMILY    HISTORY.  21 

house,  and  on  one   occasion   one  of  them  was  shot 
"  wearing  a  British  uniform." 

Think  of  the  mother  after  breakfast  bidding  her 
boy  good-by  and  sending  him  off  afoot  or  on  his 
pony  to  the  famous  school  so  situated  and  so  en 
vironed  !  Imagine  her  anxiety  all  day  till  his  safe 
return  to  the  paternal  roof !  Behold  her  watching 
the  operation  of  a  valiant  neighbor -who  was  teach 
ing  her  boys  how  to  trail  Indians,  and  how  to  save 
themselves  if  attacked  by  more  than  one  warrior  at 
a  time!  Behold  her  kindling  eye,  half  anxious,  and 
yet  thrilling  with  future  hopes,  as  she  listens  to  the 
well-known  stories  of  the  old  war — stories  many 
times  told  by  her  brave  husband  to  Zachary  and  the 
rest,  recitals  always  mingled  with  his  Indian  expedi 
tions,  Indian  fights,  long-continued  perils,  and  final 
success.  We  need  but  few  incidents  to  tell  us  how 
a  strong  lad  would  think  and  speak  and  act  in  the 
presence  of  such  influences  in  his  home,  his  neighbor 
hood,  and  his  school ;  how,  as  a  matter  of  course,  he 
went  with  his  brothers  and  with  other  young  com 
panions  on  dangerous  hunting  expeditions ;  how  he 
took  wild  rides  through  the  woods  and  across  the 
open  prairies  to  the  east  and  south  of  his  home ; 
how  in  the  spring-time,  while  the  water  was  still  cold, 
he  once  swam  the  broad  and  swift  Ohio. 

Before  the  successful  Indian  campaign  of  General 
Anthony  Wayne  to  the  north  of  the  Ohio  River  in 
1794,  when  Zachary  was  ten  years  old,  the  inhabit 
ants  on  both  banks  of  the  river  were  in  constant 
alarm;  the  people,  and  especially  the  family  doctor, 
always  went  from  house  to  house  well  armed ;  and 
small  encounters  between  the  white  men  and  savages 
were  of  almost  daily  occurrence.  The  story  of 
3 


22  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

Wayne's  victory  gave  the  Taylors  and  their  neighbors 
great  satisfaction.  After  that,  Kentucky,  in  fact, 
grew  more  peaceful  and  increased  its  inhabitants. 

Colonel  Taylor  destined  the  older  son,  William,  to 
the  army,  and  in  1802  secured  a  commission  for  him, 
but  his  third  child  was  to  be  a  farmer.  That  meant 
to  work  with  axe  and  fire  and  plow  to  clear  up  and 
extend  the  cultivated  land.  The  youth  had  un 
doubtedly  helpers  at  hand,  but  he  himself  worked  at 
every  variety  of  the  farm  work.  What  a  wise  thing 
it  is  to  so  bring  up  an  intelligent  boy  on  a  farm  !  His 
pliant  hands  themselves  are  taught.  They  become 
skillful  in  yoking  the  oxen,  harnessing  the  horses, 
driving  the  team,  holding  the  scythe  and  the  rake 
and  the  hoe.  They  are  taught  to  make  and  to  mend, 
to  plant  and  to  sow,  to  plan,  to  reap,  and  to  harvest, 
to  house  and  to  feed  and  to  water  the  stock,  to  kindle 
the  fire  on  the  hearth,  and  what  not — to  do,  and  to 
do  well,  all  things,  little  and  great,  which  make  up  the 
summum  bonum  of  home  life  in  the  country.  It  is 
doubtful  if  for  the  operations  of  active  military 
campaigning  any  other  callings  afford  advantages  in 
the  way  of  practical  instruction  and  preparation 
equal  or  superior  to  those  derived  from  the  daily 
drill  of  the  farm  work.  With  but  the  briefest  inter 
vals  Zachary  had  this  daily  drill  till  he  was  twenty- 
three  years  of  age. 

At  the  time  Aaron  Burr's  party  threatened  a 
terrible  breach  in  the  country  during  the  year  1806 
he  joined  a  volunteer  company  and  remained  with  it 
for  a  few  months,  participating  in  its  duties,  drill,  and 
discipline.  When  the  storm  blew  over  he  returned 
to  his  father's  farm.  It  was,  however,  well  known  in 
the  household  that  Zachary  was  restless  and  wished 


FAMILY    HISTORY.  23 

much  to  go  into  the  army.  It  is  said  that  he  was 
"  an  alumnus  of  William  and  Mary  College."  If  so, 
he  must,  after  Mr.  Ayres's  and  his  father's  teaching, 
have  simply  submitted  himself  for  examination  and 
so  won  a  degree  from  that  venerable  institution. 

The  testimony  of  Mr.  Ayres  represents  Zachary  as 
"quick  in  learning,  and  still  patient  in  study."  This 
epigrammatical  statement  is  a  key  to  his  whole  life. 
Herein  lay  the  power  of  Washington,  Scott,  Lincoln, 
Grant,  Sherman,  and  Thomas.  Thomas,  perhaps,  was 
not  so  quick  of  apprehension  as  the  other  five,  yet  he 
was  more  persistent  than  any,  and  abundantly  suc 
cessful  in  his  execution. 

It  is  not  excessive  to  put  Taylor  well  up  along 
this  scale  of  men  ;  but  let  us  judge  of  the  proper 
degree  nearer  the  close  of  our  sketch.  He  is  to  us 
at  this  stage  but  a  farmer  boy  just  emerging  into 
manhood.  He  has  health,  vigor,  a  fair  knowledge 
derived  from  elementary  school-books,  and  is  deemed 
by  his  few  neighbors  a  prosperous  and  promising 
young  man.  He  was,  of  course,  acquainted  with  his 
brother  William's  army  career,  and  doubtless,  through 
correspondence  and  conversation  with  him  during 
his  furloughs,  he  had  a  clear  knowledge  not  only  of 
General  Wayne  and  his  glorious  operations,  but  of 
Captain  W.  H.  Harrison's  work  just  begun  in  Indiana, 
who  was  soon,  after  Wayne's  campaign,  to  be  made 
secretary  and  afterward  governor  of  all  that  terri 
tory  beginning  just  across  the  Ohio  River.  He  was 
already  a  careful  reader  of  such  books  and  papers  as 
reached  the  valley  of  Bear-grass  Creek.  Something, 
not  easily  divined,  never  really  described,  made  him 
sit  still  and  ponder,  made  the  blood  of  youth  come 
and  go  in  his  cheeks,  till  a  sudden  impulse  would  set 


24  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

him  on  his  feet  and  a  marked  decision  firmly  close 
his  lips.  "  Yes,"  he  thought,  "  I  must  do  something. 
How  can  I  get  a  commission  ? "  His  cherished 
though  seemingly  hopeless  longing  was  suddenly  to 
be  granted,  but  not  in  the  way  that  he  had  dreamed 
or  desired. 


CHAPTER    III. 

James  Madison's  influence— Jefferson's  appointment  of  Taylor  to 
a  first  lieutenancy — First  duty  at  New  Orleans — Leave  and 
sickness— Military  study— His  marriage— Promoted  to  the  cap 
taincy  of  the  Seventh  Infantry— General  William  H.  Harri 
son's  operations  in  Northwest  Territory — Tecumseh  and  his 
brother — Captain  Taylor's  participation  in  the  campaign — 
Tippecanoe— The  War  of  1812— The  right  of  search  claimed, 
and  how  instanced— A  blockade— Taylor's  patriotic  feeling- 
Declaration  of  war — Approved  June  18,  1812 — Canadian 
hostile  expedition— Major  Muir  and  Chief  Tecumseh— Gen 
eral  Harrison's  successful  move — Fort  Harrison,  on  the  Wa- 
bash,  commanded  by  Captain  Zachary  Taylor— The  small 
garrison— Illness— The  attack  of  Indians  and  how  repulsed— 
Captain  Taylor's  own  report — The  road  from  Fort  Harrison 
to  Vincennes — The  ten  days  of  hope  deferred — At  last  relief 
came — Captain  Taylor's  two  communications  to  General 
Hopkins — General  Hopkins's  strong  approval  of  Captain 
Taylor — The  first  brevet — General  Hopkins  advances — Major 
Taylor  helps  in  the  expedition — General  Harrison  commends 
him. 

IT  is  not  certain  that  the  influence  of  James 
Madison  and  other  prominent  relatives  and  friends 
exerted  in  Zachary's  behalf,  when  several  new  regi 
ments  were  organized,  might  not,  sooner  or  later,  have 
secured  his  commission  ;  but  while  they  were  press 
ing  his  claims  his  brother  William  D.  S.  Taylor, 
second  lieutenant  of  artillery,  died ;  and  so,  it  is 
said,  without  further  objection,  President  Jefferson 
commissioned  him  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  Seventh 


26  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Infantry.  His  commission  was  dated  May  3,  1808. 
The  young  man  was  twenty-three  years  of  age.  In 
the  fall  of  this  same  year  the  relative  and  friend  of 
the  family,  Mr.  Madison,  was  elected  to  the  Presi 
dency  of  the  United  States.  Surely  the  auspices  were 
now  favorable  to  this  young  man's  military  pros 
pects,  a  friend  and  relative  at  the  head  of  affairs,  and 
entering  a  first  lieutenancy,  a  grade  in  advance  of 
the  ordinary  appointments. 

He  reported  for  duty  to  the  famous  General 
Wilkinson,  then  in  New  Orleans.  He  had  not,  how 
ever,  been  long  on  duty  in  that  then  malarious  region 
before  he  was  taken  down  with  the  yellow  fever.  As 
soon  as  possible  he  returned  to  his  Kentucky  home 
to  the  care  and  nursing  of  his  devoted  mother.  He 
must  have  had  a  considerable  leave  of  absence,  or,  as 
is  more  than  probable,  have  been  for  a  time  stationed 
in  a  more  northern  garrison,  for  we  find  two  very 
important  things  were  done  by  the  ambitious  lieuten 
ant.  He  first  took  a  very  practical  and  complete 
course  of  military  reading  and  study.  Mr.  Fry  says 
of  him  at  this  time :  "  He  appears  to  have  employed 
his  time  sedulously  in  the  study  of  his  profession. "' 

He,  as  a  second  step,  managed  to  take  to  himself 
a  lovely  young  wife.  During  the  second  year  of  his 
service  he  evidently  went  back  and  forth  from  his 
Kentucky  home  to  his  father's  old  homestead  in 
Virginia,  and  sometimes  extended  his  reconnoissances 
into  Maryland  ;  for  there,  in  Calvert  County,  he  found 
that  charming  helpmate,  Miss  Margaret  Smith,  who 
consented  to  share  his  fortunes,  and  to  whom  he  was 

*  The   Life  of  Zachary  Taylor.     By  Joseph   Reese   Fry  and 
Robert  Taylor  Conrad,  Philadelphia.      12  mo.     1847. 


FORT    HARRISON.  2/ 

united  in  marriage  June  18,  1810  *  There  are  no 
more  beautiful  pictures  of  domestic  peace  and  com 
fort  than  those  sketched  here  and  there  in  the  West 
and  South  wherever  this  lovely,  industrious,  home- 
loving,  Christian  woman  appears  as  the  counterpart, 
the  complement,  the  ornament  of  her  strong,  soldierly 
husband.  There  were  no  mental  reservations,  be  as 
sured,  when  she  gave  him  her  heart  and  hand. 

In  the  same  year,  1810,  on  account  of  an  existing 
uncertainty  as  to  the  permanency  of  this  new  regi 
ment  (the  Seventh  Infantry),  the  older  officers  avoided 
as  far  as  possible  going  into  it,  so  that  promotion 
became  unusually  rapid,  and  Zachary  Taylor,  soon 
after  his  marriage,  was  made,  November  30,  1810,  a 
captain.  Taken  in  connection  with  his  share  of  the 
family  income,  the  captain's  pay  made  the  young 
people,  as  army  gossips  would  say,  "  very  comfort 
ably  off." 

In  1811,  not  long  after  Taylor's  promotion,  the 
Seventh  Regiment,  either  in  part  or  as  a  whole,  came 
North  with  the  Fourth  Infantry,  three  hundred  and 
fifty  strong,  constituting  an  important  part  of  the 
force  with  which  General  Harrison,  acting  as  Gov 
ernor  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  was  endeavoring 
to  meet  and  overcome  the  combined  attacks  of 
several  tribes  of  Indians  not  yet  subdued.  He  had 
against  him  the  celebrated  Tecumseh  and  his  scarcely 
less  renowned  brother,  El-ska-wa-ta-wa,  who  was  by 
white  men  called  the  Prophet.  These  energetic  In 
dians the  one  as  a  fierce  warrior,  and  the  other  in 
fatuating  his  followers  by  a  new  religion  as  pro- 

*  The  record  of  this  marriage  is  in  Louisville,  Ky.  It  took 
place  in  a  little  log-house  on  the  Taylor  farm  about  six  miles 
above  the  citv. 


28  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

nounced  as  that  of  the  modern  Mahdi — went  from 
tribe  to  tribe  till  the  whole  country  north  of  the  Ohio 
was  as  wild  and  dangerous  as  it  had  been  before 
the  great  victory  of  Anthony  Wayne. 

General  Harrison  in  his  letters  to  Washington 
strenuously  maintained  that  Great  Britain  persistently 
negotiated  and  made  treaties  with  separate  Indian 
nations,  and  was  stirring  up  such  leaders  as  Tecum- 
seh  and  the  Prophet  to  give  trouble  to  the  frontier 
and  prevent  the  extension  of  the  United  States  settle 
ments  to  the  North  and  West.  There  were  several 
expeditions  to  the  Northwest  and  North  where  the 
regulars  that  we  have  named  and  the  Kentucky 
volunteers  were  more  or  less  engaged.  Captain 
Taylor,  being  called  to  active  field  duty,  was  obliged 
to  leave  his  young  wife  and  her  first-born  child  with 
his  mother  at  the  Taylor  farm.  Nothing  just  here 
beyond  the  fact  of  his  participation  in  this  campaign 
appears  of  record. 

Harrison,  it  will  be  readily  recalled,  succeeded  in 
bringing  the  Indians  to  battle  on  his  own  chosen 
ground.  In  this  combat  on  his  side  there  were  en 
gaged  principally  Indiana  and  Kentucky  militia  and 
United  States  regulars,  some  nine  hundred  in  all. 
The  Indian  warriors  numbered  about  the  same.  It 
was  a  hard  battle,  but  not  very  decisive.  Harrison 
said  in  his  report  that  "  the  Indians  "  who  attacked 
three  hours  before  daylight  "  manifested  a  ferocity 
uncommon  even  with  them."  The  savages  were, 
however,  repulsed  at  every  point,  and  General  Har 
rison  held  for  two  or  three  days  the  field  of  Tippe- 
canoe.  Zachary  Taylor  could  not  have  been  com 
manding  a  company  or  have  been  present  at  all  in 
this  battle.  He  would  surely  have  been  mentioned 


FORT    HARRISON.  29 

in  the  full  reports.  He  was  undoubtedly  this  seventh 
day  of  November,  1811,  in  some  other  part  of  the 
territory  of  operations.  When  we  find  him  mentioned 
he  is  with  detachments  reconnoitring  or  holding 
points  farther  west. 

This  battle  of  Tippecanoe  was  on  the  eve  of  the 
great  war  with  England  in  which  Taylor  bore  a  small 
part ;  so,  in  order  to  keep  before  us  the  fever  and 
state  of  the  country,  it  is  well  to  sketch  briefly  its 
beginnings  not  only  among  the  Indians,  but  also 
among  the  whites.  The  Indians  were  still  numerous, 
but  every  year  diminished  their  hunting-grounds  and 
their  fancied  domain.  The  settlers,  with  the  usual 
vanguard  of  frontier  hunters  and  trappers  and  illicit 
traders,  had  been  ever  pushing  them  back  toward 
the  lakes  on  the  north  and  toward  the  Mississippi  on 
the  west.  The  energetic  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet, 
his  brother,  arising  in  Ohio,  catching  from  somewhere 
ideas  of  combination,  of  discipline,  and  energy,  akin 
to  Cromwell's  conception  and  outfitting,  in  fact  gave 
evidence  of  real  genius.  They  went  from  tribe  to 
tribe ;  they  cemented  their  wild  forces  and  put  them 
at  the  disposal  of  some  Canadian  or  Englishman  to 
work  mischief.  They  organized  single  and  joint  at 
tacks  upon  our  forts  all  along  the  northern  and 
western  line  of  our  extensive  frontier  as  then  exist 
ing,  where,  though  justly  so  or  not,  our  Western 
citizens  imputed  all  the  horrors  of  Indian  war  and 
Indian  massacre  to  British  influence.  This  was  espe 
cially  the  case  after  the  attack  of  the  Leopard,  a  war 
ship  of  Great  Britain,  upon  the  United  States  frigate, 
the  Chesapeake,  not  far  from  Norfolk,  Va. 

The  lieutenant  commanding  the  Leopard  had 
fired  but  a  few  shots,  and  the  Chesapeake,  carrying 


30  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

our  Commodore  Barren  and  Captain  Gordon,  being 
in  a  shameful,  unserviceable  condition,  had  made  but 
a  single  feeble  reply  before  her  flag  was  struck. 
About  a  dozen,  including  the  commodore,  were  dis 
abled — three  by  death.  The  British  lieutenant  board 
ed  the  Chesapeake  and  carried  off  four  of  her  United 
States  seamen,  claiming  them  as  deserters  from  the 
British  navy.  These  all  were  claimed  by  Captain 
Gordon  and  our  Government  as  Americans.  True, 
the  British  lieutenant  had  exceeded  his  instruction, 
and  some  quasi  apologies  were  offered  by  Great 
Britain!  Yet  one  had  died  and  another  of  the  four 
had  been  already  put  to  death  through  a  court-mar 
tial  before  the  other  two  men  were  restored. 

Out  of  this  singular  affair  grew  those  angry  pro 
ceedings  of  Congress  which  at  first  resulted  in  pro 
hibiting  any  vessels  of  the  English  navy  from  coming 
to  our  shores.  The  feeling  against  Great  Britain 
was  then  bitter  indeed  and  broadcast.  Statesmen 
like  Madison  and  Clay  sought  to  settle  everything 
for  a  time  by  negotiation  ;  and  many  of  the  most 
prominent  leaders  were  strongly  opposed  to  another 
costly  war,  for  no  country  could  have  been  more 
thoroughly  unprepared  for  such  a  conflict  than  our 
young  republic,  yet  the  currents  of  indignation  and 
hostility  were  so  deep  and  so  swift  that  they  easily 
swept  away  all  barriers  and  forced  the  leaders  to 
join  the  war  cry,  and  so,  it  was  hoped,  bring  to  a 
close  forever  the  arrogant  conduct  and  unreasonable 
claims  of  British  administration. 

In  these  feelings  of  his  countrymen  Zachary 
Taylor  shared.  It  was  a  war  period.  His  patriot 
ism  had  led  him  to  seek  the  army.  He  entered  that 
small  body,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  believing  a  conflict 


FORT    HARRISON.  31 

inevitable,  or  rather  believing  it  already  begun  when 
Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet  sounded  their  battle 
cries,  he  labored  with  all  his  might  to  fit  himself  for 
any  command  or  any  responsibility  that  his  country 
might  devolve  upon  him.  The  actual  declaration  of 
war  did  not  come  so  soon  as  he  anticipated,  but  it 
came  at  last.  That  act  declaring  war  was,  June  18, 
1812,  approved  by  Mr.  Madison,  who,  before  the  last 
election,  had  changed  front  on  the  question.  It  was, 
however,  two  months  after  the  first  hostilities  before 
Captain  Taylor  was  called  to  bear  an  active  part  in 
the  second  contest  with  England. 

Major  Muir,  from  Maiden,  Canada,  of  the  British 
Auxiliaries,  and  Chief  Tecumseh,  had  concerted  to 
move  against  the  two  at  that  time  remaining  garri 
sons  of  the  Northwest — one  at  Fort  Wayne  on  the 
Maumee,  and  the  other  at  Fort  Harrison,. a  few  miles 
above  the  present  site  of  Terre  Haute,  on  the  Wabash. 
The  Auxiliaries  left  Maiden  August  18, 1812,  and  were 
to  co-operate  with  bands  of  Indian  allies  waiting  for 
them  en  route  in  the  valley  of  the  Maumee.  These 
bands  cf  savage  warriors  were  drawn  from  the  Pot- 
tawattamies  and  the  Ottawas.  While  they  were 
stealthily  approaching  Fort  Wayne,  the  Prophet  was 
to  lead  an  independent  force  of  Indians  of  the  Miamis 
and  the  Winnebagoes,  at  least  four  hundred  strong, 
against  Fort  Harrison. 

General  Harrison  himself  sent  a  force  in  time  to 
anticipate  the  move  of  Major  Muir  and  Tecumseh, 
and  defeat  it.  He  himself  with  the  main  body  passed 
rapidly  from  Cincinnati  to  Pequa,  Ohio,  having  ad 
vanced  troops  into  close  proximity  to  re-enforce  the 
garrison  at  Wayne  before  September  ist,  the  day 
selected  for  the  combined  hostiles  to  commence  their 


32  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

attack,  but  the  general  had  not  heard  a  word  of  the 
designs  against  Fort  Harrison.  Captain  Zachary 
Taylor  was  there  in  command  of  a  single  company 
of  the  Seventh  Infantry.  His  garrison  all  told  (ex 
cept  a  few  women  and  children)  was  not  over  fifty, 
many  of  whom,  including  himself,  had  been  some 
time  ill  from  a  prevailing  fever.  There  were  reports 
of  several  hundred  Indians.  They  reached  the  fort 
under  the  cover  of  the  night  and  began  their  vigorous 
assault  about  eleven  o'clock  of  September  4th,  and 
continued  it  with  firing,  shouting,  and  yelling  till 
after  daylight  of  the  5th.  Captain  Taylor's  first  re 
port  to  General  Harrison,  which  did  not  reach  him 
at  the  time,  has  been  preserved,  and  that  tells  the 
story.  As  it  will  subserve  a  double  purpose — viz.  : 
give  some  idea  of  his  literary  achievement  at  that 
early  period  of  his  life,  and  furnish  a  natural  and 
uniform  account  of  the  battle  itself — abundant  ex 
tracts  are  selected  and  here  introduced. 

"  FORT  HARRISON,  September  10  1812. 
"  DEAR  SIR  :  On  Thursday  evening,  the  3d  inst., 
after  retreat-beating,  four  guns  were  heard  to  fire 
in  the  direction  where  two  young  men  (citizens  who 
resided  here)  were  making  hay,  about  four  hundred 
yards  distant  from  the  fort.  I  was  immediately  im 
pressed  with  an  idea  that  they  were  killed  by  the 
Indians,  as  the  Miamis  or  Weas  had  that  day  informed 
me  that  the  Prophet's  party  would  soon  be  here  for 
the  purpose  of  commencing  hostilities,  and  that  they 
had  been  directed  to  leave  this  place,  which  they 
were  about  to  do.  I  did  not  think  it  prudent  to  send 
out,  at  that  late  hour  of  the  night,  to  see  what  had 
become  of  them  [the  citizens],  and  their  not  coming 


FORT    HARRISON.  33 

in  convinced  me  that  I  was  right  in  my  conjecture. 
I  waited  until  eight  o'clock  next  morning,  when  I  sent 
out  a  corporal  with  a  small  party  to  find  them,  if  it 
could  be  done  without  running  too  much  risk  of  being 
drawn  into  an  ambuscade.  He  soon  sent  back  to 
inform  me  that  he  had  found  them  both  killed,  and 
wished  to  know  my  further  orders.  I  sent  the  cart 
and  oxen,  and  had  them  brought  in  and  buried ;  they 
had  been  shot  with  two  balls,  scalped,  and  cut  in 
the  most  shocking  manner.  Late  in  the  evening  of 
the  4th  instant  old  Joseph  Lenar  and  between  thirty 
and  forty  Indians  arrived  from  the  Prophet's  town 
with  a  white  flag,  among  whom  were  about  ten 
women,  and  the  men  were  composed  of  the  chiefs  of 
the  different  tribes  that  compose  the  Prophet's  party. 
A  Shawanoe  man  that  spoke  good  English  informed 
me  that  old  Lenar  intended  to  speak  to  me  next 
morning  and  try  to  get  something  to  eat.  At  re 
treat-beating  I  examined  the  men's  arms  and  found 
them  all  in  good  order,  and  completed  their  cartridges 
to  sixteen  rounds  per  man.  As  I  had  not  been  able 
to  mount  a  guard  of  more  than  six  privates  and  two 
non-commissioned  officers  for  some  time  past,  and 
sometimes  part  of  them  every  other  day,  from  the 
unhealthiness  of  the  company,  I  had  not  conceived 
my  force  adequate  to  the  defense  of  this  post  should 
it  be  vigorously  attacked.  For  some  time  past,  as  I 
had  just  recovered  from  a  very  severe  attack  of  the 
fever,  I  was  not  able  to  be  up  much  throughout  the 
night.  After  tattoo  I  cautioned  the  guard  to  be 
vigilant,  and  ordered  one  of  the  non-commissioned 
officers,  as  the  sentinels  could  not  see  every  part  of 
the  garrison,  to  walk  around  on  the  inside  during  the 
whole  night,  to  prevent  the  Indians  taking  any  ad- 


34  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

vantage  of  us,  provided  they  had  any  intention  of 
attacking  us.  About  eleven  o'clock  I  was  awakened 
by  the  firing  of  one  of  the  sentinels.  1  sprang  up, 
ran  out,  and  ordered  the  men  to  their  posts,  when 
my  orderly  sergeant,  who  had  charge  of  the  upper 
block-house,  called  out  that  the  Indians  had  fired  the 
lower  block-house  (which  contained  the  property  of 
the  contractor,  which  was  deposited  in  the  lower 
part,  the  upper  having  been  assigned  to  a  cor 
poral  and  ten  privates  as  an  alarm  post).  The  guns 
had  begun  to  fire  pretty  smartly  from  both  sides.  I 
directed  the  buckets  to  be  got  ready  and  water 
brought  from  the  well,  and  the  fire  extinguished  im 
mediately,  as  it  was  perceivable  at  that  time;  but, 
from  debility  or  some  other  cause,  the  men  were 
very  slow  in  executing  my  orders.  The  word  fire 
appeared  to  throw  the  whole  of  them  into  confusion; 
and  by  the  time  they  had  got  the  water  and  broken 
open  the  door  the  fire  had,  unfortunately,  communi 
cated  to  a  quantity  of  whisky  (the  stock  having  licked 
several  holes  through  the  lower  part  of  the  building, 
after  the  salt  that  was  stored  there),  though  they  had 
introduced  the  fire  without  being  discovered,  as  the 
night  was  very  dark,  and  in  spite  of  every  exertion 
we  could  make  to  extinguish  it.  As  that  block-house 
adjoined  the  barracks  that  made  part  of  the  fortifi 
cations,  most  of  the  men  immediately  gave  themselves 
up  for  lost,  and  I  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  get 
ting  my  orders  executed;  and,  sir,  what  from  the 
raging  of  the  fire,  the  yelling  and  howling  of  sev 
eral  hundred  Indians,  the  cries  of  nine  women  and 
children  (a  part  soldiers'  and  a  part  citizens'  wives, 
who  had  taken  shelter  in  the  fort),  and  the  despond 
ing  of  so  many  of  the  men,  which  was  worse  than 


FORT    HARRISON.  35 

all,  I  can  assure  you  that  my  feelings  were  very  un 
pleasant,  and,  indeed,  there  were  not  more  than  ten 
or  fifteen  men   able  to  do  a  great  deal,  the  others 
being  either  sick  or  convalescent ;  and,  to  add  to  our 
other  misfortunes,  two   of  the  stoutest  men  in  the 
fort,  and  that  I  had  every  confidence  in,  jumped  the 
picket  and  left  us.     But  my  presence  of  mind  did 
not  for  a  moment  desert  me.     I  saw,  by  throwing  off 
part  of  the  roof  that  joined  the  block-house  that 
was  on  fire,  and  keeping  the  end  perfectly  wet,  the 
whole  row  of  buildings  might  be  saved,  and  leave 
only  an  entrance  of  eighteen  or  twenty  feet  for  the 
Indians  to  enter  after  the  house  was  consumed;  and 
that  a  temporary  breastwork   might  be  erected   to 
prevent  their  entering  even  there.     I  convinced  the 
men  that  this  could  be  accomplished,  and  it  appeared 
to  inspire  them  with  new  lifev  and  never  did  men  act 
with  more  firmness  or  desperation.     Those  that  were 
able  (while  the  others  kept  up  a  constant  fire  from 
the  other  block-house  and  the  bastions)  mounted  the 
roofs   of  the   houses  with  Dr.  Clark  at  their  head 
(who    acted    with    the   greatest   firmness  and   pres 
ence  of  mind  the  whole  time  the  attack  lasted,  which 
was  seven  hours),  under  a  shower  of  bullets,  and  in 
less  than  a  moment  threw  off  as  much  of  the  roof 
as  was  necessary.     This  was  done  only  with  the  loss 
of  one  man  and  two  wounded,  and  I  am  in  hopes 
neither  of  them  dangerous  ;  the  man  that  was  killed 
was  a  little  deranged,  and  did  not  get  off  the  house 
as  soon  as  directed,  or  he  would  not  have  been  hurt; 
and  although  the  barracks  were  several  times  in  a 
blaze,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  fire  against  them,  the 
men  used  such  exertion  that  they  kept  it  under,  and 
before  day  raised  a  temporary  breastwork  as  high  as  a 


36  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

man's  head,  although  the  Indians  continued  to  pour 
in  a  heavy  fire  of  ball  and  an  innumerable  quantity  of 
arrows  during  the  whole  time  the  attack  lasted,  in 
every  part  of  the  parade.  I  had  but  one  other  man 
killed,  nor  any  other  wounded  inside  the  fort,  and  he 
lost  his  life  by  being  too  anxious;  he  got  into  one 
of  the  galleries  in  the  bastions  and  fired  over  the 
pickets,  and  called  out  to  his  companions  that  he 
had  killed  an  Indian,  and  neglecting  to  stoop  down, 
in  an  instant  he  was  shot  dead.  One  of  the  men 
that  jumped  the  pickets  returned  an  hour  before  day, 
and,  running  up  toward  the  gate,  begged  for  God's 
sake  for  it  to  be  opened.  I  suspected  it  to  be  a 
stratagem  of  the  Indians  to  get  in,  as  I  did  not  recol 
lect  the  voice  ;  I  directed  the  men  in  the  bastion,  where 
I  happened  to  be,  to  shoot  him,  let  him  be  who  he 
would  ;  and  one  of  them  fired  at  him,  but,  fortunately, 
he  ran  up  to  the  other  bastion,  where  they  knew  his 
voice,  and  Dr.  Clark  directed  him  to  lie  down  behind 
an  empty  barrel  that  happened  to  be  there,  and  at 
daylight  I  had  him  let  in.  His  arm  was  broken  in  a 
most  shocking  manner,  which  he  says  was  done  by 
the  Indians,  which  I  suppose  was  the  cause  of  his  re 
turning  ;  I  think  it  probable  that  he  will  not  recover. 
The  other  they  caught  about  one  hundred  and  thirty 
yards  from  the  garrison  and  cut  him  all  to  pieces. 
After  keeping  up  a  constant  fire  until  about  six 
o'clock  the  next  morning,  which  we  began  to  return 
with  some  effect,  after  daylight  they  moved  out  of 
the  reach  of  our  guns.  A  party  of  them  drove  up 
the  horses  that  belonged  to  the  citizens  here,  and,  as 
they  could  not  catch  them  very  readily,  shot  the 
whole  of  them  in  our  sight,  as  well  as  a  number  of 
their  hogs.  They  drove  off  the  whole  of  the  cattle, 


FORT    HARRISON.  37 

which  amounted  to  sixty-five  head,  as  well  as  the 
public  oxen.  I  had  the  vacancy  filled  up  before 
night  (which  was  made  by  the  burning  of  the  block 
house)  with  a  strong  row  of  pickets,  which  I  got  by 
pulling  down  the  guard-house.  We  lost  the  whole  of 
our  provisions,  but  must  make  out  to  live  upon  green 
corn  until  we  can  get  a  supply,  which  I  am  in  hopes 
will  not  be  long,  I  believe  the  whole  of  the  Miamis 
or  Weas  were  among  the  Prophet's  party,  as  one 
chief  gave  his  orders  in  that  language,  which  resem 
bled  Stone  Eater's  voice,  and  I  believe  that  Negro 
Legs  was  there  likewise.  A  Frenchman  here  under 
stands  their  different  languages  ;  and  several  of  the 
Miamis  or  Weas,  that  have  been  frequently  here, 
were  recognized  by  the  Frenchman  and  soldiers  next 
morning.  The  Indians  suffered  smartly,  but  were  so 
numerous  as  to  take  off  all  that  were  shot.  They 
continued  with  us  until  the  next  morning,  but  made 
no  further  attempt  on  the  fort,  nor  have  we  seen  any 
thing  of  them  since.  I  have  delayed  informing  you 
of  my  situation,  as  I  did  not  like  to  weaken  the  gar 
rison,  and  I  looked  for  some  person  from  Vincennes, 
and  none  of  my  men  were  acquainted  with  the 
woods,  and  therefore  I  would  either  have  to  take  the 
road  or  river,  which  I  was  fearful  was  guarded  by 
small  parties  of  Indians  that  would  not  dare  to  at 
tack  a  company  of  rangers  that  was  on  a  scout ;  but, 
being  disappointed,  I  have  at  length  determined  to 
send  a  couple  of  my  own  men  by  water,  and  am  in 
hopes  they  will  arrive  safe." 

From  Fort  Harrison  to  Vincennes,  apparently  the 
temporary  headquarters  of  Captain    Taylor's    regi 
ment,  the  river  and  the  trails  were  infested  by  small 
4 


38  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

parties  of  Indians,  who  fired  upon  his  men  at  sight, 
so  that  his  messengers  who  had  tried  the  river  were 
interrupted  on  their  way  and  forced  to  return.  It 
was  known  afterward  that  Taylor  and  his  men  had 
inflicted  so  much  damage  upon  the  attacking  party 
that  they  had  not  the  heart  to  return  and  renew  the 
conflict;  but  nobody  at  the  fort  knew  this,  so  that 
the  first  ten  days  after  the  siege  was  raised  the 
inmates  of  the  little  garrison,  almost  without  the 
necessities  of  life,  were  in  a  state  of  intense  anxiety 
and  suspense.  After  the  first  messenger  came 
back,  the  captain  sent  his  first  sergeant  and  another 
enlisted  man  to  try  the  trails,  adding  a  few  more 
words,  addressed  to  General  Harrison,  to  the  message 
they  bore : 

"  I  wrote  you  on  the  loth  instant,  giving  you  an 
account  of  an  attack  on  this  place,  as  well  as  my 
situation,  which  account  I  attempted  to  send  by 
water,  but  the  two  men  whom  I  dispatched  in  a  canoe 
after  night  found  the  river  so  well  guarded  that 
they  were  obliged  to  return.  The  Indians  had  built 
a  fire  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  a  short  distance  be 
low  the  garrison,  which  gave  them  an  opportunity 
of  seeing  any  craft  that  might  attempt  to  pass,  and 
were  waiting  with  a  canoe  ready  to  intercept  it.  I 
expect  the  fort,  as  well  as  the  road  to  Vincennes,  is 
as  well  or  better  watched  as  the  river.  But  my 
situation  compels  me  to  make  one  other  attempt  by 
land,  and  my  orderly  sergeant,  with  one  other  man, 
sets  out  to-night,  with  strict  orders  to  avoid  the  road 
in  the  day-time  and  depend  entirely  upon  the  woods, 
although  neither  of  them  has  ever  been  to  Vincennes 
by  land,  nor  do  they  know  anything  of  the  country ; 
but  I  am  in  hopes  they  will  reach  you  in  safety.  I 


FORT    HARRISON.  39 

send  them  with  great  reluctance,  from  their  ignorance 
of  the  woods.  I  think  it  very  probable  there  is  a 
large  party  of  Indians  waylaying  the  road  between 
this  and  Vincennes,  likely  about  the  narrows,  for  the 
purpose  of  intercepting  any  party  that  may  be  coming 
to  this  place,  as  the  cattle  they  got  here  will  supply 
them  plentifully  with  provisions  for  some  time  to 
come." 

The  sergeant  found  General  Hopkins  at  Vin 
cennes.  Of  course,  relief  and  provisions  were  sent 
to  the  brave  captain,  and  all  hearts  among  sympa 
thizing  comrades  were  thrilled  with  the  story  of  the 
attack  and  defense  of  the  fort.  After  he  had  verified 
Taylor's  modest  account,  General  Hopkins  wrote : 
"The  firm  and  almost  unparalleled  defense  of  Fort 
Harrison  by  Captain  Zachary  Taylor  has  raised  for 
him  a  fabric  of  character  not  to  be  effaced  by  eulogy." 
The  report  of  the  affair  went  not  only  to  Colonel 
Russell,  his  regimental  commander,  General  Hopkins, 
and  General,  then  Governor,  Harrison,  but  to  Presi 
dent  Madison,  who  immediately  nominated  him  to 
the  United  States  Senate  for  the  brevet  rank  of 
major. 

Taylor,  with  his  regiment,  was  kept  in  the  North 
west  Territory  during  the  entire  War  of  1812  and 
1814.  The  battle  of  Tippecanoe  had  not  even  broken 
up  the  Prophet's  town.  It  became  the  head  and 
center  of  a  thousand  petty  depredations  and  small 
guerrilla  affairs.  The  settlers  were  everywhere  in 
terror  of  their  lives  all  along  the  northern  border 
from  nightly  forays  of  the  savage  foe.  General 
Hopkins  moved  up  to  Taylor,  who  was  still  holding 
Fort  Harrison.  With  some  regulars  and  hasty  levies 
of  volunteers  from  the  territory,  he  set  out  in  about 


40  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

a  month  after  the  attack  at  Fort  Harrison  to  sur 
prise  and  if  possible  destroy  the  numerous  Indian 
villages  in  Illinois,  in  what  was  then  called  the 
Peoria  district.  He  gave  Major  Taylor  a  section  of 
his  command.  Owing  to  the  misconduct  of  the 
volunteers,  the  expedition  was  a  partial  failure.  But 
Cojonel  Russell,  of  the  Seventh  Regulars,  with  a  de 
tachment  taking  advantage  of  the  absence  from  home 
of  the  warriors  who  were  stirred  up  by  General  Hop- 
kins's  movement,  destroyed  some  of  their  most  im 
portant  villages  and  caches  of  supplies. 

The  general  himself,  accompanied  by  Major 
Taylor,  though  deserted  by  the  volunteers,  turned 
northward  to  the  Tippecanoe  River  and  aimed  his 
blows  against  the  Prophet's  village  and  against  other 
Indian  settlements  in  that  quarter.  There  were 
many  small  combats  The  Indians  would  waylay 
and  surprise  the  troops  and  then  run ;  so  that  our 
men  suffered  severely  in  this  thankless  work  of 
clearing  a  wilderness  from  savages.  Their  expedition 
on  the  whole  was  successful ;  and  again  our  young 
officer  was  highly  praised  in  orders  by  General  Har 
rison.  His  dispatches,  when  giving  honor  to  special 
gallantry,  said  :  "  And  also  to  Captain  Zachary  Tay 
lor,  of  the  Seventh  United  States  Regiment,  for  a 
prompt  and  efficient  support  in  every  instance." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

An  increase  of  regiments — And  then  promotion  to  a  majority — His 
Rock  River  expedition — A  sudden  reduction  to  ten  thousand 
men — Major  Zachary  Taylor  declines  to  go  back  to  a  captaincy 
— Again  in  civil  life — How  General  William  H.  Harrison  and 
other  friends  sought  his  return  to  service — Next  recommis- 
sioned  a  major  of  the  Third  Infantry — A  furlough  spent  in 
Kentucky — Again  a  promotion — A  lieutenant-colonel,  Fourth 
Infantry — On  a  great  variety  of  duties,  as  recruiting,  boards 
for  constructions,  for  reorganizing  the  army,  for  uniform,  etc. 
— Stationed  at  Baton  Rouge — Then  at  Fort  Crawford,  North 
west  Territory — Indian  Superintendent  for  a  time  by  detail — 
Incidents  in  the  Black  Hawk  War— Taylor's  superb  regulars 
— General  Atkinson's  praises. 

ABOUT  four  years  previous  to  this  second  war  of 
our  republic  the  army,  from  almost  nothing,  as  we 
have  noted,  was  suddenly  increased  by  several  regi 
ments.  The  augmenting  went  steadily  on  till  peace 
commenced ;  so  that  we  are  not  surprised  to  find 
that  Zachary  Taylor,  May  15,  1814,  received  the 
regular  commission  of  major  in  a  regiment  with  as 
high  a  number  as  twenty-six — i.  e.,  in  the  Twenty- 
sixth  United  States  Infantry.  After  the  promotion 
he  had  charge  of  an  independent  column  during  that 
year  intended  to  operate  against  those  portions  of 
the  combined  tribes  that  were  crossing  the  Rock 
River  from  Wisconsin,  and  making  forays  into  the 
Peoria  country  and  Indiana  Territory. 

Touching  this   important  work,  Appktons1  Cyclo- 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


padia  of  American  Biography  remarks  :  "  In  1814,  with 
his  separate  command,  he,  being  then  a  major  by 
commission,  made  a  campaign  against  the  hostile 
Indians  and  their  British  allies  on  Rock  River,  which 
was  so  successful  as  to  give  subsequent  security  to 
that  immediate  frontier.  In  such  service,  not  the 
less  hazardous  or  indicative  of  merit  because  on  a 
small  scale,  he  passed  the  period  of  his  employment 
on  that  frontier  until  the  treaty  of  peace  with  Great 
Britain  disposed  the  Indians  to  be  quiet." 

In  March,  1815,  our  army,  naturally  enough,  for 
a  simple  peace  establishment,  was  reduced  to  ten 
thousand  men.  Notwithstanding  the  large  reduction, 
Major  Taylor  was  retained  in  the  small  army,  but 
with  reduced  rank.  He  was  put  back  to  a  captain 
in  the  former  regiment,  the  Seventh  Infantry.  This 
method  was  pursued  after  each  of  our  wars,  and 
many  a  good  officer  has  been  kept,  with  his  own 
assent,  in  a  lower  grade  than  that  which  he  held 
during  the  active  operations  of  war.  There  was 
really  no  offense  and  no  hardship  in  the  matter. 
Major  Taylor,  after  his  long  service  in  the  wilds  of 
the  country,  preferred  to  decline  that  backward  mo 
tion,  and  was  honorably  discharged,  June  15,  1815, 
some  five  months  after  the  last  battle  of  the  war. 
Zachary  Taylor  made  no  complaint.  He  went 
straight  home,  as  he  himself  expressed  his  purpose 
and  conduct,  "  to  make  a  crop  of  corn." 

But  neither  the  prominent  officers,  in  or  out  of 
service  (his  friend  General  Harrison  was  among  the 
latter),  nor  his  influential  relatives  and  friends,  would 
long  leave  him  to  his  corn-crop  making  and  farm- 
ditching.  His  character,  knowledge,  and  service 
were  too  much  needed.  So  that  one  month  less 


INDIAN    SERVICE.  43 

than  a  year  from  the  acceptance  of  his  resignation, 
May  17,  1816,  President  Madison,  whose  own  heart 
doutless  pleaded  for  his  esteemed  and  worthy  rela 
tive,  made  him  major  in  the  Third  Infantry. 

We  can  not  help  thinking  that  this  brief  episode 
in  civil  life  was  most  wholesome.  It  was  a  tonic 
against  the  too  frequent  reaction  after  the  activity 
of  war.  It  brought  him  into  business  relations  with 
numerous  civilians  of  his  own  age,  and  established 
friendships  and  confidences  that  were  to  come  in 
play  when  they  should  be  needed.  Grant  and  Sher 
man,  after  the  Mexican  War,  realized  this  civil  boon, 
though  to  each  of  them  it  seemed  at  the  time  almost 
anything  except  a  boon.  Taylor's  "civil"  experi 
ence  was  less  than  theirs;  but  he  might  count  the 
period  of  four  years  which  they  spent  at  the  military 
academy  for  himself,  for  he  had  previously  spent 
that  in  civil  life. 

A  portion  of  the  Third  Infantry  at  the  time  of 
the  return  of  Major  Taylor  was  stationed  in  the  far 
North,  at  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin,  then  wild  territory, 
and  he  went  there  immediately  and  commanded 
Fort  Winnebago  for  the  two  succeeding  years.  He 
then  had  a  leave  of  absence  for  one  year,  which  he 
passed  with  his  family  in  Kentucky.  He  received 
his  promotion  meanwhile  to  the  lieutenant-colonelcy 
of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  and  at  once  went  to  New 
Orleans  and  reported  to  Colonel  William  King.  He 
now  came,  by  transfer,  to  the  Eighth  Regiment,  and 
remained  in  the  South  till,  on  a  second  reduction  of 
the  army,  he  was  again  transferred  to  the  First  In 
fantry,  June  i,  1821.  Curiously  enough,  he  passed 
to  the  Seventh  Infantry  the  ensuing  August,  and 
back  again  to  the  First  Regiment  January  i,  1822, 


44  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

and  in  that  he  remained  a  lieutenant-colonel  for  the 
next  ten  years. 

During  his  majority  and  lieutenant-colonelcy  a 
variety  of  duties  fell  to  him.  For  example,  in  1822, 
when  in  Louisiana,  he  was  sent  to  establish  and 
build  Fort  Jesup.  It  was  placed  on  the  extreme 
frontier  of  the  State  near  the  Texas  line.  It  was  a 
pleasant  and  convenient  camping  place  for  many 
enterprising  emigrants  to  Texas,  and  its  garrison, 
doubtless,  no  little  encouragement  to  that  brave 
band  of  our  people  who  were  striving,  first,  for  the 
independence,  and  next  were  hoping  for  subsequent 
annexation  of  Texas  to  the  United  States.  In  1824 
he  had,  part  of  the  year  as  a  recruiting  officer,  another 
pleasant  sojourn  at  his  own  favorite  city  of  Louis 
ville.  The  latter  part  of  1824  he  was  called  to  Wash 
ington  on  a  large  board  of  officers,  of  which  General 
Winfield  Scott  was  the  chairman.  It  worked  to  cre 
ate  plans  for  the  organization  and  government  .of 
the  militia  of  the  country,  and  to  recommend  a 
proper  uniform.  Taylor's  views  were  very  pro 
nounced  against  a  considerable  minority  on  the 
board  who  wanted  substantially  to  make  regulars 
of  the  citizen-soldiery.  General  Scott  sided  with 
the  majority,  and  an  excellent  report  was  adopted 
and  sent  to  Congress. 

During  1827  and  1828  Taylor  was  again  in  the 
Southwest.  His  post  was  for  the  most  part  at  that 
beautiful  place  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  Baton 
Rouge,  where  his  family  subsequently  in  trying  times 
found  a  secluded  and  charming  home.  The  years 
1829,  1830,  1831,  and  the  early  part  of  1832,  accord 
ing  to  the  Register,  were  passed  in  the  Northwest ; 
his  headquarters  were  at  Fort  Snelling,  that  well- 


INDIAN    SERVICE.  45 

built  Northern  fort  which  is  situated  at  the  confluence 
of  the  two  great  rivers,  the  Mississippi  and  the  Min 
nesota,  not  many  miles  from  St.  Paul. 

He  appears,  by  the  reports,  to  have  been  long  "  a 
superintendent  "  in  charge  of  Indian  affairs  for  a 
section  of  the  Northwest,  but  this  was,  as  customary 
at  that  time,  in  connection  with  his  military  com 
mand.  His  constant  intercourse  with  the  Indians, 
long  experience  in  dealing  with  them,  and  his  singu 
larly  substantial  characteristics,  made  him  feared 
and  greatly  respected  by  the  Indians.  They  for  a 
time  put  him  in  their  soubriquets  at  the  head  of  all 
chiefs  who  dealt  with  them. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Taylor  received  his  promo 
tion  to  a  colonelcy  April  4,  1832,  and  passed  to  the 
command  of  the  First  Infantry.  He  had  been  almost 
thirteen  years  in  the  same  grade.  He  was  now  forty- 
seven  years  of  age,  robust,  studious,  practical,  in  the 
very  prime  of  his  manhood.  His  new  military  station 
was  Fort  Crawford,  whose  post-office  address  was 
Prairie  du  Chien.  His  men,  away  there  in  that  cold 
north  country,  were  drilled  in  mid-winter  by  the  col 
onel  himself.  When  off  duty,  he  was  during  the  day 
generally  to  be  found  in  his  post  library,  where  he  soon 
made  himself  master  of  the  more  solid  books,  prefer 
ring  works  on  military  jurisprudence,  international 
law,  and  historical  sketches  of  battles  and  campaigns. 

A  visitor  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  meeting  him,  was  as 
much  impressed  by  Colonel  Taylor's  well-furnished 
mind  as  by  his  dignified  and  hearty  appearance. 
General  Atkinson  writes  of  Colonel  Taylor,  of  date 
August  25,  1832  :"...!  crossed  the  Ouisconsin  on 
the  27th  and  28th  ult.,  with  a  select  body  of  troops, 
consisting  of  regulars,  under  Colonel  Tayjox^four 

UNivi-TBFSI7 


46  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

hundred  in  number,  .  .  .  amounting  in  all  to  thirteen 
hundred  men,  and  immediately  fell  upon  the  trail  of 
the  enemy,  and  pursued  it  by  a  forced  march,  through 
a  mountainous  and  difficult  country,  till  the  morning 
of  the  2d  inst.,  when  we  came  up  with  his  main  body 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  nearly  opposite 
the  mouth  of  the  Iowa,  which  [main  body]  we  at 
tacked,  defeated,  and  dispersed,  with  a  loss  on  his 
part  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  killed,  and 
thirty-nine  women  and  children  taken  prisoners;  the 
precise  number  could  not  be  ascertained,  as  the 
greater  portion  was  slain  after  being  forced  into  the 
river.  .  .  .  The  remnant  of  the  enemy,  cut  up  and 
disheartened,  crossed  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  and  has  fled  into  the  interior  with  a  view,  it  is 
supposed,  of  joining  Keokuk  and  Wapello's  bands  of 
Sacs  and  Foxes."  Atkinson  speaks  in  glowing  terms 
of  both  Taylor's  regulars  and  the  volunteers  in  this 
and  a  preceding  battle.  He  placed  Black  Hawk  and 
other  prisoners  under  Taylor's  charge,  who  gave 
them  a  long  journey  southward  to  Jefferson  Bar 
racks,  and  delivered  them  over  to  the  permanent 
garrison  at  that  post. 

There  is  a  single  incident  of  the  Black  Hawk  War 
given  at  length  by  J.  Reese  Fry  which  is  so  charac 
teristic  that  it  is  worthy  of  extract.  Colonel  Taylor 
was  commanding  volunteers  and  regulars.  The  vol 
unteers  refused  to  cross  Rock  River.  "  They  were 
militia,"  they  said,  "  called  out  for  the  defense  of  the 
State,  and  it  was  unconstitutional  to  order  them  to 
march  beyond  its  frontier  into  the  Indian  country." 
Taylor  said  nothing,  but  sent  back  a  report  and 
waited  for  orders.  "  During  the  night  orders  came  " 
for  him  to  follow  up  Black  Hawk  to  the  last. 


INDIAN   SERVICE.  47 

"  The  quietness  of  the  regular  colonel,  meanwhile, 
had  rather  encouraged  the  mutinous  militia  to  bring 
their  proceedings  to  a  head.  A  sort  of  town-meet 
ing  was  called  upon  the  prairie,  and  Taylor  invited 
to  attend.  After  a  time,  having  heard  enough,  Colo 
nel  Taylor  stepped  forward  and  made  a  brief  speech  : 
'  I  have  heard,'  he  said,  '  with  much  pleasure,  the 
views  which  several  speakers  have  expressed  of  the 
independence  and  dignity  of  each  private  American 
citizen.  I  feel  that  all  gentlemen  here  are  my  equals 
— in  reality,  I  am  persuaded  that  many  of  them  will 
in  a  few  years  be  my  superiors,  and  perhaps,  in  the 
capacity  of  members  of  Congress,  arbiters  of  the 
fortunes  and  reputation  of  humble  servants  of  the 
republic,  like  myself.  I  expect  then  to  obey  them 
as  interpreters  of  the  will  of  the  people;  and  the 
best  proof  that  I  will  obey  them  is  now  to  observe 
the  orders  of  those  whom  the  people  have  already 
put  in  the  places  of  authority  to  which  many  gentle 
men  around  me  justly  aspire.  In  plain  English,  gen 
tlemen  and  fellow-citizens,  the  word  has  been  passed 
on  to  me  from  Washington  to  follow  Black  Hawk, 
and  to  take  you  with  me  as  soldiers.  I  mean  to  do 
both.  There  are  the  flat-boats  drawn  up  on  the 
shore,  and  here  are  Uncle  Sam's  men  drawn  up  be 
hind  you  on  the  prairie.'  "  Of  course,  at  this  point  all 
argument  ceased,  and  the  work,  without  regard  to 
State  lines,  was,  as  we  have  seen,  pushed  on  to  com 
pletion.  Herein  was  no  undue  recognition  of  State 
rights,  and  there  was  displayed  the  spirit  of  careful 
ness,  submission  to  proper  authority,  firmness,  and 
courage  that  it  is  ever  madness  to  resist. 


CHAPTER   V. 

The  Florida  troubles — Osceola — The  Creeks — The  Seminoles — 
The  threatened  Western  removals — The  black  flag  and 
massacres — Major  Bade  and  his  detachment — The  Everglades 
of  Florida — Old  Generals  Clinch,  Jesup,  and  others — Presi 
dent  Van  Buren's  message — Taylor's  fac-simile  letter  written 
at  Fort  Crawford,  July  14,  1837 — Taylor's  careless  dress — A 
young  officer's  mistake  and  chagrin — General  Jesup  defeated 
and  wounded  at  Jupiter  Inlet,  Fla. — General  Taylor's  arrival 
at  Tampa  Bay  and  Fort  Gardner — His  campaign  of  the  Kis- 
simmee  and  successful  battle  of  Okeechobee — His  dispatches 
— His  excellent  dispositions  of  troops  and  districts — He  seeks 
to  be  relieved — Is  sent  to  Fort  Jesup,  Louisiana. 

AFTER  Indian  troubles  had  been  allayed,  though 
not  permanently  settled,  in  the  then  Northwest,  after 
Tecumseh,  Black  Hawk,  and  the  Prophet  had  passed 
from  the  stage,  a  fiery  Spirit  from  the  South  suddenly 
sprang  to  the  front,  and  for  a  time  carried  terror  and 
destruction  in  his  path.  He  bore  among  the  Indians 
the  beautiful  euphonic  name  of  Osceola,  He  appeared 
in  Florida,  though  a  Creek  by  birth,  as  a  chief  among 
the  Seminoles.  The  Seminoles  in  the  "  thirties  "  had 
an  abundance  of  special  grievances  and  had  added 
a  hundredfold  to  their  natural  hatred  of  white 
men  because  of  the  great  treaty  which  had  been 
made  after  the  manner  of  all  our  treaties  with  the 
Indian  tribes.  Some  chiefs  and  followers  had  agreed 
to  it,  while  other  chiefs  and  their  people,  including 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR.  49 

four  or  five  hundred  escaped  slaves,  had  not  agreed 
to  its  provisions.  Three  years  were  to  be  given  to 
the  Indians  to  effect  their  removal  from  Florida 
(such  was  the  agreement  on  paper)  to  their  new 
lands  beyond  the  Mississippi.  The  malcontents  de 
clared  they  would  not  go,  and  as  they  saw  the  troops 
coming  to  enforce  the  terms  of  the  hateful  bargain, 
they  succeeded  in  firing  the  hearts  of  the  majority  of 
the  young  warriors.  This  was  the  turbid  condition 
of  the  waters  when  Osceola  plunged  in.  He  was  a 
great  natural  leader.  The  terms  which  our  whites 
used  concerning  him  are  probably  true,  such  as 
"  talented  ;  implacable  in  hatred  ;  full  of  cunning  "  ; 
then  suddenly,  as  he  rose  to  leadership,  "  defiant,  un 
scrupulous,  hesitating  at  no  crime,  relentless,  re 
vengeful,  reckless  of  danger,"  yet  "  wise  in  council 
and  ambitious."  As  soon  as  he  had  stirred  the  war 
riors  to  fury,  he  unfurled  the  black  flag  and  kept 
it  at  their  head.  He  overbore  all  mild  measures 
and  timid  advice.  He  slew  every  hereditary  chief 
tain,  whom  our  Florida  officers  had  not  already  de 
throned,  that  dared  stand  out  against  his  bitter  pur 
pose.  Such  was  the  man — a  bona  fide,  shrewd,  con 
scienceless  savage. 

When  the  writer  first  passed  along  the  paths  just 
east  of  the  plain  at  the  West  Point  Academy  he  saw 
there  in  a  pretty,  shady  nook,  the  monument  to 
Major  Bade  and  his  companions.  The  inscription 
below  on  the  modest  shaft  tells  the  story  of  "  Dade's 
massacre."  The  story  is  substantially  as  follows  : 
On  December  23,  1835,  six  months  after  the  expira 
tion  of  the  time  of  Indian  removal,  Major  Bade 
with  two  hundred  and  twelve  officers  and  enlisted 
soldiers  set  out  from  Tampa,  Fla.,  to  form  a  junction 


50  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

with  a  few  hundred  other  troops  at  Fort  Drane,  under 
the  immediate  command  of  the  Department  Chief, 
General  Clinch.  There  had  thus  far  been  no  outbreak 
of  any  considerable  extent,  so  that  the  major  had  no 
special  apprehensions  of  danger.  As  the  detachment 
was  leisurely  marching  along  and  passing  one  of  those 
high  wooded  knolls  peculiar  to  Florida,  usually 
called  hammocks  or  hummocks,  where  the  trees  and 
vines  and  roots  are  inextricably  mingled,  the  fittest 
sort  of  a  place  for  an  ambuscade,  the  savages,  who 
till  that  moment  had  not  given  the  slightest  sign  of 
their  presence,  poured  forth  their  full  forces,  at  least 
three  to  one,  upon  the  astonished  command  of  Major 
Dade,  firing  as  they  came.  Of  course  our  regulars 
fought,  as  they  generally  do  when  brought  into 
battle.  Here  against  Alligator,  the  follower  of 
Osceola,  no  surrender  was  dreamed  of  and  little  hope 
from  the  outset  was  entertained,  so  that  Dade's  men 
sold  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible.  Two  hundred 
and  nine  of  that  devoted  band  were  slain.  Three 
badly  wounded  managed  to  hide  in  the  thickets,  and 
finally  to  work  their  way  back  to  Fort  Brooke  to  give 
their  account  of  the  bloody  massacre. 

After  this  sad  affair  and  Osceola's  attack  upon 
General  Clinch  a  month  later,  it  is  easy  to  imagine 
the  consternation  that  followed  throughout  that 
thinly  settled  State,  especially  along  the  frontier 
which  bordered  the  forests,  the  swamps,  and  the  cele 
brated  Everglades  of  Florida.  Neither  General 
Gaines,  nor  General  Clinch,  nor  General  Scott  him 
self,  who  succeeded  Clinch,  nor  General  Jesup,  could 
give  satisfaction  to  the  white  inhabitants  of  the  State, 
nor  to  the  expectant  authorities  at  Washington.  The 
Indians  only  appeared  suddenly  to  kill  and  outrage, 


THE   FLORIDA  WAR.  51 

rob  and  burn,  and  then  pass  into  their  singular  fast 
nesses.  Here  and  there  some  old  Indians,  women 
and  children,  were  run  down  and  captured,  but  other 
tribes— probably  increased  by  negroes  and  half-breeds 
—besides  the  Seminoles,  when  they  heard  of  their  suc 
cess,  came  to  swell  the  number  of  their  fighting 
force,  and  so,  though  there  were  several  combats  and 
Indian  massacres,  no  sensible  progress  toward  the 
removal  of  the  Seminoles,  Creeks,  and  other  bands 
was  effected. 

President  Van  Buren,  in  his  first  annual  message 
of  December  4,  1837,  has  one  significant  remark 
which  shows  that  Indians  and  negroes  and  half- 
breeds,  including  the  fierce  Osceola,  were  not  at  this 
period  of  the  war  wholly  the  cause  of  the  abnormal 
state  of  things  in  Florida.  It  is  to  this  effect :  "  In 
most  instances  they  [the  savages]  have  been  insti 
gated  to  resistance  by  persons  to  whom  the  trade 
with  them  and  the  acquisition  of  their  annuities  were 
important ;  and  some  by  the  personal  influence  of  in 
terested  chiefs."  A  year  later,  after  the  President 
had  become  more  familiar  with  Florida,  he  gives  a 
graphic  picture  of  the  situation.  He  says  : 

"  The  continued  treacherous  conduct  of  these  peo 
ple,  the  savage  and  unprovoked  murders  they  have 
lately  committed,  butchering  whole  families  of  the 
settlers  of  the  Territory  without  distinction  of  age  or 
sex,  and  making  their  way  into  the  very  center  and 
heart  of  the  country,  so  that  no  part  of  it  is  free 
from  their  ravages  ;  their  frequent  attacks  upon  the 
light-houses  along  that  dangerous  coast ;  and  the 
barbarity  with  which  they  have  murdered  the  pas 
sengers  and  crews  of  such  vessels  as  have  been 
wrecked  upon  the  reefs  and  keys  which  border  the 


52  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Gulf — leave  the  Government  no  alterative  but  to  con 
tinue  the  military  operations  against  them  until  they 
are  totally  expelled  from  Florida." 

As  the  Indians  had  organized  under  their  shrewd 
est  and  ablest  leader,  at  last  the  War  Department 
came  to  the  wise  conclusion  to  send  there  to  oppose 
him  its  most  experienced,  most  indomitable  officer, 
though  his  rank  might  not  yet  rightly  entitle  him  to 
a  geographical  department.  By  a  fac-simile  of  a 
letter  written  by  Colonel  Taylor  from  Fort  Crawford, 
dated  July  14,  1837,  we  find  that  he  and  his  regiment, 
the  First  Infantry,  were  then  under  orders  for  Louisi 
ana,  and  that  the  headquarters  would  be  at  Fort 
Jesup,  La.,  near  the  Texas  border.  He  received  in 
structions  at  some  intermediate  halting  place  or  while 
en  route  to  proceed  to  Florida  and  take  command  of 
the  field  force.  The  instructions  were  issued  July  3ist, 
and  were  to  the  effect  that  the  First  Infantry  was 
to  arrive  at  Tampa  Bay  between  the  roth  and  i5th 
of  October.  Going  down  the  Mississippi  to  New 
Orleans,  Colonel  Taylor  doubtless  passed  with  his 
regiment  from  the  city  by  water  to  Tampa  Bay,  ar 
riving  in  ample  time  for  a  compliance  with  his  orders. 
Leaving  at  Fort  Brooke  Lieutenant-Colonel  Daven 
port  in  immediate  charge  of  the  troops,  the  colonel 
appears  to  have  set  out  for  the  department  head 
quarters  just  then  at  Fort  Drane,  a  post  in  Marion 
County,  near  Orange  Lake.  He  may  have  taken  a 
steamer,  skirted  the  west  coast  northward,  and  as 
cended  the  Suwanee  River  to  near  Newnansville,  and 
then  have  gone  by  stage  to  what  is  now  Micanopy, 
and  thence  ten  miles  by  Government  conveyance  to 
Fort  Drane. 

There  is  one  of  those  traditionary  tales  located 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR. 


53 


at  Newnansville  and  vicinity  which  probably  had  some 
foundation  in  fact.  With  all  his  virtues  it  is  often 
stated  that  Colonel  Taylor,  though  a  good  disciplina 
rian,  in  other  regards  was  a  little  careless  concerning 
the  uniform  of  his  officers  and  men,  and  especially 
so  with  his  own.  In  fact,  he  never  wore  a  complete 
regulation  suit  except  when  imperative  duty,  like 
that  of  a  formal  inspection,  demanded  it.  He  often 
had  on  some  homespun  material,  wearing  a  loose 
sack-coat,  and  in  the  warm  climate  a  broad-brimmed 
straw  hat.  The  night  after  his  arrival  at  Newnans 
ville,  so  the  story  is  told,  he  was  sitting  in  some  such 
old  garb  in  the  tavern  office  which  had,  as  in  the  old 
inns,  a  bar  at  hand.  With  him  were  Lieutenant-Colo 
nel  Ichabod  B.  Crane,  Colonel  Croghan  Ker,  and 
Captain  D.  D.  Tompkins,  all  veterans  of  the  prairies 
and  frontiers,  and  about  as  roughly  dressed  as  Colo 
nel  Taylor  himself.  Suddenly,  on  the  arrival  of  the 
Eastern  stage,  there  appeared  on  the  scene  a  sprightly 
young  officer  recently  from  the  Military  Academy, 
rather  fine  in  general  attire  for  a  traveler,  and  not  a 
little  confident  in  the  manner  of  his  address.  His 
linen  duster  but  poorly  concealed  the  bright  buttons 
beneath.  He  was  an  army  officer,  and  meant  it  should 
be  so  known.  He  at  first  took  but  slight  notice  of  the 
farmer-looking  men  who  sat  there  talking,  smoking, 
or  reading  a  chance  paper.  Then  observing  the  oldest 
in  appearance,  he  probed  him  for  some  information. 
Q.  "Well,  old  man,  how  are  the  Indians  now?" 
A.  "  I  believe,  sir,  they  are  giving  considerable 
trouble." 

Q.  "Oh,  they    are,    are    they?     Well,   we'll    fix 
matters  soon.     I'm  an  army  officer  and  on  my  way 
to  take  a  hand  in  the  war.     How  are  the  crops  ?" 
5 


54  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

A.  "  Very  fair,  sir,  I  understand,  where  the  In 
dians  can  keep  quiet." 

And  so  on,  with  pert  questions  by  the  youth  and 
very  respectful  answers  from  Taylor,  who  sturdily 
kept  up  the  imputed  character  without  betrayal. 

At  last  the  young  man  grew  generous. 

Q.  "  Come  now,  old  codger,  you  and  your  neigh 
bors  take  something — some  beer  with  me  ? " 

A.  "  Oh,  certainly."  They  rose  and  solemnly 
pledged  the  bold  young  warrior. 

About  this  time,  the  stage  being  ready,  the  vet 
erans  proceeded  on  their  journey,  while  the  young 
officer  staid  back  for  a  brief  good  time  before  report 
ing  to  his  command.  A  few  days  later  he  arrived  at 
Fort  Drane,  and  at  the  first  inspection  of  his  com 
pany  by  the  senior  commander  present,  what  was  his 
astonishment  and  mortification  to  see  dressed  in  the 
full  uniform  of  a  colonel  the  old  farmer  of  the  tavern, 
and  coming  straight  toward  him.  Colonel  Taylor 
smiled  when  near  him,  and  said  reflectively :  "  Come 
now,  old  codger  !  " 

The  young  man,  after  this  mortifying  interview, 
asked  some  experienced  officers,  with  no  little  trepi 
dation,  what  he  should  do  ?  They  laughingly  said  : 
"Oh,  with  Colonel  Taylor,  simply  nothing!" 

After  a  day  or  so  the  colonel  called  him  up,  and, 
as  the  young  man  tried  to  apologize  for  his  rudeness, 
said  :  "  My  young  friend,  you  have  had  a  good  lesson. 
Let  me  give  you  one  piece  of  advice  that  I  think 
will  be  of  immense  advantage  to  you  :  *  Never  judge  a 
stranger  by  his  clothes.'  " 

The  incident  was  never  alluded  to  again  by 
Colonel  Taylor. 

The    department    commander,     General     Jesup, 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR. 


55 


whom  Taylor  was  eventually  to  relieve,  had,  June  24, 
1838,  succeeding  the  arrival  of  infantry  and  cavalry 
re-enforcements  including  the  First  Infantry  and 
General  Twiggs's  cavalry,  a  severe  Indian  combat 
at  Jupiter  Inlet.  Here  General  Jesup  was  quite 
severely  wounded  in  the  face.  He  was  so  roughly 
handled  by  the  foe  that  he  lost  all  hope  of  getting 
the  Indians  removed  from  the  State,  and  earnestly 
recommended  that  this  purpose  be  abandoned,  and 
that  the  enterprising  savages  and  negroes  be  allowed 
for  their  occupancy  a  large  portion  of  the  State, 
especially  the  fastness  that  they  held  and  so  well 
knew  how  to  keep  and  use.  The  results  of  General 
Jesup's  fears  and  recommendations  were  soon  after 
this  to  procure  his  removal  from  that  command ;  but 
a  few  days  before  that  battle  of  Jupiter  Inlet,  Colonel 
Zachary  Taylor  had  in  another  part  of  the  same  field 
of  operations  a  measure  of  success. 

About  the  first  of  December,  1837,  Colonel  Taylor, 
passing  from  Tampa  via  Fort  Frazier,  had  collected 
at  Fort  Gardner  between  eleven  and  twelve  hundred 
men  all  told.  What  he  and  the  brave  men  with  him 
did  during  that  month  is  best  told  in  the  account 
that  he  gave  at  the  end  of  probably  the  most  hardy 
and  the  most  noticeable  expedition  that  Florida  ever 
saw.  The  report,  in  the  form  of  a  letter  to  the 
adjutant-general,  is  as  follows: 

"  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE,  ARMY  SOUTH  OF  THE 
WITHLACOOCHEE,  FORT  GARDNER,  January  4,  1838. 

"  On  the  igth  ultimo  I  received  at  this  place  a 
communication  from  Major-General  Jesup,  inform 
ing  me  that  all  hopes  of  bringing  the  war  to  a  close 
by  negotiation,  through  the  interference  or  media- 


56  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

tion  of  the  Cherokee  delegation,  were  at  an  end, 
Aviaka  [Sam  Jones],  with  the  Mickasukies,  having 
determined  to  fight  it  out  to  the  last,  and  directing 
me  to  proceed  with  the  least  possible  delay  against 
any  portion  of  the  enemy  I  might  hear  of  within 
striking  distance,  and  to  destroy  or  capture  him. 

"  After  leaving  two  officers  and  an  adequate 
force  for  the  protection  of  my  depot,  I  marched  the 
next  morning  with  twelve  days'  rations  (my  means 
of  transportation  not  enabling  me  to  carry  more), 
with  the  balance  of  my  command,  consisting  of 
Captain  Monroe's  company  of  the  Fourth  Artillery, 
total  thirty-five  men  ;  the  First  Infantry,  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Foster,  two  hundred 
and  seventy-four ;  the  Sixth  Infantry,  under  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  Thompson,  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  ; 
the  Missouri  Volunteers,  one  hundred  and  eighty ; 
Morgan's  spies,  forty-seven  ;  pioneers,  thirty  ;  pon- 
toniers,  thirteen ;  and  seventy  Delaware  Indians — 
making  a  force,  exclusive  of  officers,  of  one  thousand 
and  thirty-two  men,  the  greater  part  of  the  Shawnees 
having  been  detached,  and  the  balance  refusing  to 
accompany  me,  under  the  pretext  that  a  number  of 
them  were  sick,  and  the  remainder  were  without 
moccasins. 

"  I  moved  down  the  west  side  of  the  Kissimmee, 
in  a  southeasterly  course,  toward  Lake  Istopoga,  for 
the  following  reasons :  i.  Because  I  knew  a  portion 
of  the  hostiles  were  to  be  found  in  that  direction.  2. 
If  General  Jesup  should  fall  in  with  the  Mickasukies 
and  drive  them,  they  might  attempt  to  elude  him  by 
crossing  the  Kissimmee  from  the  east  to  the  west 
side  of  the  peninsula  between  this  and  its  entrance 
into  the  Okeechobee,  in  which  case  I  might  be  near 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR. 


57 


at  hand  to  intercept  them.  3.  To  overawe  and  in 
duce  such  of  the  enemy,  who  had  been  making  propo 
sitions  to  give  themselves  up,  and  who  appeared  very 
slow  in  complying  writh  their  promises  on  that  head, 
to  surrender  at  once  ;  and,  lastly,  I  deemed  it  advisa 
ble  to  erect  block-houses  and  a  small  picket  work 
on  the  Kissimmee,  for  a  third  depot,  some  thirty  or 
forty  miles  below  this,  and  obtain  a  knowledge  of 
the  intervening  country,  as  I  had  no  guide  who  could 
be  relied  upon,  and  by  this  means  open  a  communi 
cation  with  Colonel  Smith,  who  was  operating  up  the 
Caloosehatchee  under  my  orders. 

"  Late  in  the  evening  of  the  first  day's  march  I 
met  the  Indian  chief  Jumper  with  his  family  and  a 
part  of  his  band,  consisting  of  fifteen  men,  a  part  of 
them  with  families,  and  a  few  negroes,  in  all  sixty- 
three  souls,  on  his  way  to  give  himself  up,  in  con 
formity  with  a  previous  arrangement  I  had  entered 
into  with  him.  They  were  conducted  by  Captain 
Parks  and  a  few  Shawnees.  He  [Parks]  is  an  active, 
intelligent  half-breed,  who  is  at  the  head  of  the 
friendly  Indians,  both  Shawnees  and  Delawares,  and 
whom  I  had  employed  to  arrange  and  bring  in 
Jumper  and  as  many  of  his  people  as  he  could  pre 
vail  on  to  come  in.  We  encamped  that  night  near 
the  same  spot,  and  the  next  morning,  having  ordered 
Captain  Parks  to  join  me  and  take  command  of  the 
Delawares,  and  having  dispatched  Jumper,  in  charge 
of  some  Shawnees, to  this  place,  I  continued  my  march, 
after  having  sent  forward  three  friendly  Seminoles  to 
gain  intelligence  as  to  the  position  of  the  enemy. 

"  About  noon  of  the  same  day  I  sent  forward 
one  battalion  of  Gentry's  regiment,  under  command 
of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Price,  to  pick  up  any  stragglers 


58  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

that  might  fall  in  his  way,  to  encamp  two  or  three 
miles  in  advance  of  the  main  force,  to  act  with  great 
circumspection,  and  to  communicate  promptly  any 
occurrence  that  might  take  place  in  his  vicinity  im 
portant  for  me  to  know.  About  10  p.  M.  I  received 
a  note  from  the  colonel  stating  that  the  three  Semi- 
noles  sent  forward  in  the  morning  had  returned  ; 
that  they  had  been  at  or  near  where  Alligator  had 
encamped,  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  in  his  advance; 
that  he  [Alligator]  had  left  there  with  a  part  of  his 
family  four  days  before,  under  the  pretext  of  separat 
ing  his  relations  from  the  Mickasukies  preparatory 
to  his  surrendering  with  them ;  that  there  were 
several  families  remaining  at  the  camp  referred  to, 
who  wished  to  give  themselves  up,  and  would  remain 
there  until  we  took  possession  of  them,  unless  they 
were  forcibly  carried  off  that  night  by  the  Mickasu 
kies,  who  were  encamped  at  no  great  distance  from 
them. 

"  In  consequence  of  this  intelligence,  after  direct 
ing  Lieutenant-Colonel  Davenport  to  follow  me  early 
in  the  morning  with  the  infantry,  a  little  after  mid 
night  I  put  myself  at  the  head  of  the  residue  of  the 
mounted  men  and  joined  Lieutenant-Colonel  Price, 
proceeded  on,  crossing  Istopoga  outlet,  and  soon 
after  daylight  took  possession  of  the  encampment  re 
ferred  to,  where  I  found  the  inmates,  who  had  not 
been  disturbed.  They  consisted  of  an  old  man  and 
two  young  ones,  and  several  women  and  children, 
amounting  in  all  to  twenty-two  individuals.  The  old 
man  informed  me  that  Alligator  was  very  anxious  to 
separate  his  people  from  the  Mickasukies,  who  were 
encamped  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Kissimmee, 
distant  about  twenty  miles,  where  they  would  fight 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR.  59 

us.  I  sent  him  to  Alligator  to  say  to  him,  if  he 
were  sincere  in  his  professions,  to  meet  me  the  next 
day  at  the  Kissimmee,  where  the  trail  I  was  marching 
on  crossed  and  where  I  should  halt. 

"  As  soon  as  the  infantry  came  up  I  moved  on  to 
the  place  designated,  which  I  reached  late  that  even 
ing  and  where  I  encamped.  About  n  P.M.  the  old 
Indian  returned,  bringing  a  very  equivocal  message 
from  Alligator,  whom,  he  stated,  he  had  met  accident 
ally  ;  also  that  the  Mickasukies  were  still  encamped 
where  they  had  been  for  some  days,  and  where  they 
were  determined  to  fight  us. 

"  I  determined  at  once  on  indulging  them  as  soon 
as  practicable.    Accordingly,  next  morning,  after  lay 
ing  out  a  small  stockade  work  for  the  protection  of  a 
future  depot,  in  order  to  enable  me  to  move  with  the 
greatest  celerity  I  deposited  the  whole  of  my  heavy 
baggage,  including  artillery,  and  having  provisioned 
the  command  to  include  the  Twenty-sixth,  after  leav 
ing  Captain  Monroe  with  his  company,  the  pioneers, 
pontoniers,  with  eighty-five  sick  and  disabled  infantry, 
and  a  portion  of  the  friendly  Indians,  who  alleged 
that  they  were  unable  to  march  farther,  I  crossed  the 
Kissimmee,  taking  the  old  Indian  as  a  guide  who 
had  been  captured  the  day  before,  and  who  accom 
panied  us  with  great  apparent  reluctance  in  pursuit 
of  the   enemy,    and    early    the  next  day    I  reached 
Alligator's    encampment,    situated   on    the   edge   of 
Cabbage-Tree-Hammock,   in    the   midst  of   a  large 
prairie,  from  the  appearance  of  which  and  other  en 
campments  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  many  evidences 
of  slaughtered  cattle,  there  must  have  been  several 
hundred  individuals. 

"  At  another  small  hammock,  at  no  great  distance 


60  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

from  Alligator's  encampment  and  surrounded  by  a 
swamp  impassable  for  mounted  troops,  the  spies  sur 
prised  an  encampment  containing  one  old  man, 
four  young  men,  and  some  women  and  children. 
One  of  the  party  immediately  raised  a  white  flag, 
when  the  men  were  taken  possession  of  and  brought 
across  the  swamp  to  the  main  body.  I  proceeded 
with  an  interpreter  to  meet  them.  They  proved  to 
be  Seminoles,  and  professed  to  be  friendly.  They 
stated  that  they  were  preparing  to  come  in  ;  they 
had  just  slaughtered  a  number  of  cattle,  and  were 
employed  in  drying  and  jerking  the  same.  They 
also  informed  me  that  the  Mickasukies,  headed  by 
Aviaka  [Sam  Jones],  were  some  ten  or  twelve  miles 
distant  encamped  in  a  swamp,  and  were  prepared  to 
fight. 

"  Although  I  placed  but  little  confidence  in  their 
professions  of  friendship  or  their  intentions  of  com 
ing  in,  yet  I  had  no  time  to  look  up  their  women 
and  children,  who  had  fled  and  concealed  themselves 
in  the  swamp,  or  to  have  encumbered  myself  with 
them  in  the  situation  in  which  I  then  was.  Accord 
ingly,  I  released  the  old  man,  who  promised  that  he 
would  collect  all  the  women  and  children  and  take 
them  in  to  Captain  Monroe  at  the  Kissimmee  the 
next  day.  I  also  dismissed  the  old  man  who  had 
acted  as  guide  thus  far,  supplying  his  place  with  the 
four  able  warriors  who  had  been  captured  that 
morning. 

"  These  arrangements  being  made,  I  moved  under 
their  guidance  for  the  camp  of  the  Mickasukies. 
Between  2  and  3  P.M.  we  reached  a  very  dense  cy 
press  swamp,  through  which  we  were  compelled  to 
pass,  and  in  which  our  guides  informed  us  we  might 


THE   FLORIDA  WAR.  6l 

be  attacked.  After  making  .the  necessary  disposi 
tions  for  battle,  it  was  ascertained  that  there  was  no 
enemy  to  oppose  us.  The*  army  crossed  over  and 
encamped  for  the  night,  it  being  late.  During  the 
passage  of  the  rear,  Captain  Parks,  who  was  in  ad 
vance  with  a  few  friendly  Indians,  fell  in  with  two  of 
the  enemy's  spies  between  two  and  three  miles  of 
our  camp,  one  on  horseback,  the  other  on  foot,  and 
succeeded  in  capturing  the  latter.  He  was  an  active 
young  warrior  armed  with  an  excellent  rifle,  fifty 
tails  in  his  pouch,  and  an  adequate  proportion  of 
powder.  This  Indian  confirmed  the  information 
which  had  been  previously  received  from  other  In 
dians,  and,  in  addition,  stated  that  a  large  body  of 
Seminoles,  headed  by  John  Cohua  [Co-a-coo-chee] 
and,  no  doubt,  Alligator,  with  other  chiefs,  were  en 
camped  five  or  six  miles  from  us,  near  the  the  Micka- 
sukies,  with  a  cypress  swamp  and  dense  hammock 
between  them  and  the  latter. 

"  The  army  moved  forward  at  daylight  the  next 
morning,  and,  after  marching  five  or  six  tniles, 
reached  the  camp  of  the  Seminoles  on  the  border  of 
another  swamp,  which  must  have  contained  several 
hundred  and  bore  evident  traces  of  having  been 
abandoned  in  a  great  hurry,  as  the  fires  were  still 
burning  and  quantities  of  beef  lying  on  the  ground 
unconsumed. 

"  Here  the  troops  were  again  disposed  of  in  line 
of  battle  ;  but  we  found  no  enemy  to  oppose  us, 
and  the  command  was  crossed  over  about  11  A.M., 
when  we  entered  a  large  prairie  in  our  front,  on 
which  two  or  three  hundred  head  of  cattle  were 
grazing  and  a  number  of  Indian  ponies.  Here 
another  young  Indian  warrior  was  captured,  armed 


62  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

and  equipped  as  the  former.  He  pointed  out  a  dense 
hammock  on  our  right,  about  a  mile  distant,  in  which 
he  said  the  hostiles  were  situated  and  waiting  to 
give  us  battle. 

"  At  this  place  the  final  disposition  was  made  to 
attack  them,  which  was  in  two  lines,  the  volunteers, 
under  Gentry,  and  Morgan's  spies  to  form  the  first 
line  in  extended  order,  who  were  instructed  to  enter 
the  hammock,  and,  in  the  event  of  being  attacked 
and  hard  pressed,  were  to  fall  back  in  rear  of  the 
regular  troops  out  of  reach  of  the  enemy's  fire;  the 
second  was  composed  of  the  Fourth  and  Sixth  In 
fantry,  who  were  instructed  to  sustain  the  volunteers, 
the  First  Infantry  being  held  in  reserve. 

"  Moving  on  in  the  direction  of  the  hammock, 
after  proceeding  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  we  reached 
the  swamp  which  separated  us  from  the  enemy,  three 
quarters  of  a  mile  in  breadth,  being  totally  impassa 
ble  for  horses,  and  nearly  so  for  foot,  covered  with  a 
thick  growth  of  saw-grass,  five  feet  high,  and  about 
knee-deep  in  mud  and  water,  which  [saw-grass]  ex 
tended  to  the  left  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  ;  and 
to  the  right,  to  a  part  of  the  swamp  and  hammock  we 
had  just  crossed  through,  ran  a  deep  creek.  At  the 
edge  of  the  swamp  the  men  were  dismounted,  and 
the  horses  and  baggage  left  under  a  suitable  guard. 
Captain  Allen  was  detached  with  the  two  companies 
of  mounted  infantry  to  examine  the  swamp  and  ham 
mock  to  the  right,  and,  in  case  he  should  not  find  the 
enemy  in  that  direction,  was  to  return  to  the  baggage, 
and,  in  the  event  of  his  hearing  a  heavy  firing,  to 
join  me  immediately. 

"  After  making  these  arrangements  I  crossed  the 
swamp  in  the  order  stated.  On  reaching  the  bor- 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR.  63 

ders  of  the  hammock  the  volunteers  and  spies  re 
ceived  a  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy,  which  was  re 
turned  by  them  for  a  short  time,  when  their  gallant 
commander,  Colonel  Gentry,  fell  mortally  wounded. 
They  mostly  broke ;  and,  instead  of  forming  in  the 
rear  of  the  regulars,  as  had  been  directed,  they  re 
tired  across  the  swamp  to  their  baggage  and  horses ; 
nor  could  they  again  be  brought  into  action  as  a 
body,  although  efforts  were  made  repeatedly  by  my 
staff  to  induce  them  to  do  so. 

"  The  enemy,  however,  were  promptly  checked 
and  driven  back  by  the  Fourth  and  Sixth  Infantry, 
which  in  truth  might  be  said  to  be  a  moving  battery. 
The  weight  of  the  enemy's  fire  was  principally  con 
centrated  on  five  companies  of  the  Sixth  Infantry, 
which  not  only  stood  firm,  but  continued  to  advance 
until  their  gallant  commander,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Thompson,  and  his  adjutant,  Lieutenant  Center, 
were  killed ;  and  every  officer,  with  one  exception, 
as  well  as  most  of  the  non-commissioned  officers, 
including  the  sergeant-major  and  four  of  the  orderly 
sergeants,  killed  and  wounded  of  those  companies, 
when  that  portion  of  the  regiment  retired  to  a 
short  distance  and  were  again  formed,  one  of 
these  companies  having  but  four  members  left  un 
touched. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  Foster,  with  six  companies, 
amounting  in  all  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  men, 
gained  the  hammock  in  good  order,  where  he  was 
joined  by  Captain  Noell,  with  the  two  remain 
ing  companies  of  the  Sixth  Infantry,  and  Colonel 
Gentry's  volunteers,  with  a  few  additional  men, 
continued  to  drive  the  enemy  for  a  considerable 
time,  and  by  a  change  of  front,  separated  his  line 


64  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

and  continued  to  drive  him,  until  he  reached  the 
great  Lake  Okeechobee,  which  was  in  the  rear  of  the 
enemy's  position,  and  on  which  their  encampment 
extended  for  more  than  a  mile.  As  soon  as  I  was 
informed  that  Captain  Allen  was  advancing  I  or 
dered  the  First  Infantry  to  move  to  the  left,  gain 
the  enemy's  right  flank  and  turn  it,  which  order  was 
executed  in  the  promptest  manner  possible ;  and  as 
soon  as  that  regiment  got  in  position  the  enemy 
gave  one  fire  and  retreated,  being  pursued  by  the 
First,  Fourth,  and  Sixth,  and  some  of  the  volunteers 
who  had  joined  them,  until  near  night  and  until 
these  troops  were  nearly  exhausted  and  the  enemy 
driven  in  all  directions. 

"  The  action  was  a  severe  one,  and  continued 
from  half-past  twelve  until  3  p.  M.,  a  part  of  the 
time  very  close  and  severe.  We  suffered  much,  hav 
ing  twenty-six  killed  and  one  hundred  and  twelve 
wounded,  among  whom  are  some  of  our  most  valu 
able  officers.  The  hostiles  probably  suffered,  all 
things  considered,  equally  with  ourselves,  they  hav 
ing  left  ten  dead  on  the  ground,  besides  doubtless 
carrying  off  more,  as  is  customary  with  them  when 
practicable. 

"As  soon  as  the  enemy  were  completely  broken 
I  turned  my  attention  to  taking  care  of  the  wounded, 
to  facilitate  their  removal  to  my  baggage,  where  I 
ordered  an  encampment  to  be  formed.  I  directed 
Captain  Taylor  to  cross  over  to  the  spot  and  employ 
every  individual  whom  he  might  find  there  in  con 
structing  a  small  foot-way  across  the  swamp;  this 
with  great  exertion  was  completed  in  a  short  time 
after  dark,  when  all  the  dead  and  wounded  were  car 
ried  over  in  litters  made  for  the  purpose,  with  one 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR.  65 

exception,  a  private  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  who  was 
killed  and  could  not  be  found. 

"  And  here  I  trust  I  may  be  permitted  to  say  that 
I  experienced  one  of  the  most  trying  scenes  of  my 
life,  and  he  who  could  have  looked  on  with  indiffer 
ence,  his  nerves  must  have  been  differently  organized 
from  my  own.  Besides  the  killed,  there  lay  one 
hundred  and  twelve  wounded  officers  and  soldiers 
who  had  accompanied  me  one  hundred  and  forty-five 
miles,  most  of  the  way  through  the  unexplored  wil 
derness  without  guides,  who  had  so  gallantly  beaten 
the  enemy,  under  my  orders,  in  his  strongest  posi 
tion,  and  who  had  to  be  conveyed  back  through 
swamps  and  hammocks  from  whence  we  set  out, 
without  any  apparent  means  of  doing  so.  This  ser 
vice,  however,  was  encountered  and  overcome,  and 
they  have  been  conveyed  thus  far  and  pushed  on  to 
Tampa  Bay  on  rude  litters,  constructed  with  the 
knife  and  axe  alone,  with  poles  and  dry  hides,  the 
latter  being  found  in  great  abundance  at  the  encamp 
ment  of  the  hostiles.  The  litters  were  carried  on  the 
backs  of  our  weak  and  tottering  horses,  aided  by  the 
residue  of  the  command,  with  more  ease  and  com 
fort  to  the  sufferers  than  I  could  have  supposed,  and 
with  as  much  as  they  could  have  been  afforded  in 
ambulances  of  the  most  improved  and  modern  con 
struction. 

"  The  day  after  the  battle  we  remained  at  our 
encampment,  occupied  in  taking  care  of  the  wounded 
and  collecting,  with  a  portion  of  the  mounted  men,- 
the  horses  and  cattle  in  the  vicinity  belonging  to  the 
enemy,  of  which  we  found  about  one  hundred  of  the 
former,  many  of  them  saddled,  and  nearly  three  hun 
dred  of  the  latter. 


66  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

"We  left  our  encampment  on  the  morning  of  the 
zyth  for  the  Kissimmee,  where  I  had  left  my  heavy 
baggage,  which  place  we  reached  about  noon  of  the 
28th.  After  leaving  two  companies  and  a  few  In 
dians  to  garrison  the  stockade — which  I  found  nearly 
completed  on  my  return  by  that  active  and  vigilant 
officer,  Captain  Monroe,  Fourth  Artillery — I  left  the 
next  morning  for  this  place,  where  I  arrived  on  the 
3ist,  and  sent  forward  the  wounded  the  next  day  to 
Tampa  Bay,  with  the  Fourth  and  Sixth  Infantry,  the 
former  to  halt  at  Fort  Fraser,  remaining  here  myself 
with  the  First,  in  order  to  make  preparations  to  take 
the  field  again  as  soon  as  my  horses  can  be  recruited, 
most  of  which  have  been  sent  to  Tampa,  and  my 
supplies  be  in  a  sufficient  state  of  forwardness  to 
justify  the  measure. 

"  In  speaking  of  the  command  I  can  only  say 
that,  so  far  as  the  regular  troops  are  concerned,  no 
one  could  have  been  more  efficiently  sustained  than 
I  have  been  from  the  commencement  of  the  cam 
paign  ;  and  I  am  certain  that  they  will  be  always 
willing  and  ready  to  discharge  any  duty  that  may  be 
assigned  to  them. 

"To  Lieutenant-Colonel  Davenport  and  the  of 
ficers  and  soldiers  of  the  First  Infantry  I  feel  under 
many  obligations  for  the  manner  in  which  they  have 
on  all  occasions  discharged  their  duty ;  and  al 
though  held  in  reserve  and  not  brought  into  battle 
till  near  its  close,  it  evinced  by  its  eagerness  to 
engage  and  the  promptness  and  good  order  with 
which  they  [the  men]  entered  the  hammock,  when 
the  order  was  given  them  to  do  so,  this  is  the  best 
evidence  that  they  would  have  sustained  their  own 
characters,  as  well  as  that  of  the  regiment,  had  it 


THE    FLORIDA   WAR.  67 

been   their  fortune  to  have  been  placed  in  the  hot 
test  of  the  battle. 

"The  Fourth  Infantry,  under  their  gallant  leader, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Foster,  was  among  the  first  to 
gain  the  hammock,  and  maintained  this  position,  as 
well  as  driving  a  portion  of  the  enemy  before  him, 
until  he  arrived  at  the  borders  of  Lake  Okeechobee, 
which  was  in  the  rear,  and  continued  the  pursuit  un 
til  near  night.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Foster,  who  was 
favorably  noticed  for  his  gallantry  and  good  conduct 
in  nearly  all  the  engagements  on  the  Niagara  front 
ier,  during  the  late  war  with  Great  Britain,  by  his 
several  commanders,  as  well  as  in  the  different  en 
gagements  with  the  Indians  in  this  territory,  never 
acted  a  more  conspicuous  part  than  in  the  action  of 
the  25th  ult. ;  he  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  the 
conduct  of  Brevet-Major  Graham,  his  second  in 
command,  as  also  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  who  were  engaged  in  the  action. 
Captain  Allen  with  his  two  mounted  companies  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry  sustained  his  usual  character  for 
promptness  and  efficiency.  Lieutenant  Hooper,  of 
the  Fourth  regiment,  was  wounded  through  the  arm, 
but  continued  on  the  field,  at  the  head  of  his  company, 
until  the  termination  of  the  battle. 

"  I  am  not  sufficiently  master  of  words  to  express 
my  admiration  of  the  gallantry  and  steadiness  of  the 
officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Sixth  regiment  of  in 
fantry.  It  was  their  fortune  to  bear  the  brunt  of 
the  battle.  The  report  of  the  killed  and  wounded 
which  accompanies  this  is  more  conclusive  evidence 
of  their  merits  than  anything  I  can  say.  After  five 
companies  of  this  regiment,  against  which  the  enemy 
directed  the  most  deadly  fire,  were  nearly  cut  up, 


68  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

there  being  only  four  men  left  uninjured  in  one  of 
them,  and  every  officer  and  orderly  sergeant  of  those 
companies,  with  one  exception,  were  either  killed  or 
wounded,  Captain  Noell,  with  the  remaining  two  com 
panies,  his  own  company  *  K,'  and  Crosman's  *B,' 
commanded  by  Second  Lieutenant  Woods,  which  was 
the  left  of  the  regiment,  formed  on  the  right  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  entered  the  hammock  with  that  regi 
ment,  and  continued  the  fight  and  pursuit  until  its 
termination.  It  is  due  to  Captain  Andrews  and 
Lieutenant  Walker  to  say  they  commanded  two  of 
the  five  companies  mentioned  above,  and  they  con 
tinued  to  direct  them  until  they  were  both  severely 
wounded  and  carried  from  the  field,  the  latter  re 
ceiving  three  separate  balls. 

"  The  Missouri  volunteers,  under  command  of 
Colonel  Gentry,  and  Morgan's  spies,  who  formed 
the  first  line,  and,  of  course,  were  the  first  engaged, 
acted  as  well  or  even  better  than  troops  of  that  de 
scription  generally  do  ;  they  received  and  returned 
the  enemy's  fire  with  spirit  for  some  time,  when  they 
broke  and  retired,  with  the  exception  of  Captain 
Gillam  and  a  few  of  his  company,  and  Lieutenant 
Blakey  also  with  a  few  men,  who  joined  the  regulars 
and  acted  with  them,  until  after  the  close  of  the 
battle,  but  not  until  they  had  suffered  severely,  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  volunteers,  Colonel  Gen 
try,  being  mortally  wounded  while  leading  on  his 
men  and  encouraging  them  to  enter  the  hammock 
and  come  to  close  quarters  with  the  enemy ;  his  son, 
an  interesting  youth  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  of 
age,  sergeant-major  of  the  regiment,  was  severely 
wounded  at  the  same  moment. 

"  Captain  Childs,  Lieutenants  Rogers  and  Flana- 


THE    FLORIDA  WAR.  69 

gan,  of  Gentry's  regiment,  Acting  Major  Sconce  and 
Lieutenants  Hase  and  Gordon,  of  the  spies,  were 
wounded  while  encouraging  their  men  to  a  discharge 
of  their  duty. 

"  The  volunteers  and  spies,  as  before  stated,  hav 
ing  fallen  back  to  the  baggage,  could  not  again  be 
formed  and  brought  up  to  the  hammock  in  anything 
like  order  ;  but  a  number  of  them  crossed  over  in 
dividually,  and  aided  in  conveying  the  wounded 
across  the  swamp  to  the  hammock,  among  whom 
were  Captain  Curd  and  several  other  officers.  .  .  . 

"To  my  personal  staff,  consisting  of  First  Lieu 
tenant  J.  M.  Hill,  of  the  Second,  and  First  Lieutenant 
George  H.  Griffin,  of  the  Sixth  Infantry,  the  latter 
aide-de-camp  to  Major-General  Gaines  and  a  volun 
teer  in  Florida  from  his  staff,  I  feel  under  the  great 
est  obligations  for  the  promptness  and  efficiency 
with  which  they  have  sustained  me  throughout  the 
campaign,  and  more  particularly  for  their  good  con 
duct  and  the  alacrity  with  which  they  aided  me 
and  conveyed  my  orders  during  the  action  of  the 
25th  ult. 

"  Captain  Taylor,  Commissary  of  Subsistence, 
who  was  ordered  to  join  General  Jesup  at  Tampa 
Bay  as  Chief  of  the  Subsistence  Department,  and 
who  was  ordered  by  him  to  remain  with  his  column 
until  General  Jesup  joined  it,  although  no  command 
was  assigned  Captain  Taylor,  he  greatly  exerted 
himself  in  trying  to  rally  and  bring  back  the  volun 
teers  into  action,  as  well  as  discharging  other  impor 
tant  duties  which  were  assigned  him  during  the 
action. 

"  Myself,  as  well  as  all  who  witnessed  the  atten 
tion  and  ability  displayed  by  Surgeon  Satterlee, 


7Q  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

medical  director  on  this  side  of  the  peninsula,  as 
sisted  by  Assistant  Surgeons  McLaren  and  Simpson, 
of  the  medical  staff  of  the  army,  and  Doctors  Hannah 
and  Cooke,  of  the  Missouri  volunteers,  in  ministering 
to  the  wounded,  as  well  as  their  uniform  kindness  to 
them  on  all  occasions,  can  never  cease  to  be  referred 
to  by  me  but  with  the  most  pleasing  and  grateful 
recollections. 

"The  quartermaster's  department,  under  the  di 
rection  of  that  efficient  officer,  Major  Brant,  and  his 
assistant,  Lieutenant  Babbit,  have  done  everything 
that  could  be  accomplished  to  throw  forward  from 
Tampa  Bay  and  keep  up  supplies  of  provisions,  for 
age,  etc.,  with  the  limited  means  at  their  disposal. 
Assistant  Commissaries,  Lieutenants  Harrison,  sta 
tioned  at  Fort  Gardner,  and  McClure,  at  Fort  Fraser, 
have  fully  met  my  expectations  in  discharge  of  the 
various  duties  connected  with  their  department,  as 
well  as  those  assigned  them  in  the  quartermaster's 
department. 

"  This  column  in  six  weeks  penetrated  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  miles  into  the  enemy's  country,  opened 
roads  and  constructed  bridges  and  causeways,  when 
necessary,  on  the  greater  portion  of  the  route,  estab 
lished  two  depots  and  the  necessary  defenses  for  the 
same,  and  finally  overtook  and  beat  the  enemy  in  his 
strongest  position ;  the  results  of  which  movement 
and  battle  have  been  the  capture  of  thirty  of  the 
hostiles,  the  coming  in  and  surrendering  of  more 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  and  negroes, 
mostly  the  former,  including  the  chiefs  Ou-la-too-gee, 
Tus-ta-nug-gee,  and  other  principal  men,  the  cap 
turing  and  driving  out  of  the  country  six  hundred 
head  of  cattle,  upwards  of  one  hundred  head  of 


THE    FLORIDA   WAR.  prj 

horses,  besides  obtaining  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  country  through  which  we  operated,  a  greater 
portion  of  which  was  entirely  unknown  except  to  the 
enemy. 

"Colonel  Gentry  died  a  few  hours  after  the  bat 
tle,  much  regretted  by  the  army,  and  will  be,  doubt 
less,  by  all  who  knew  him,  as  his  State  did  not  contain 
a  braver  man  or  a  better  citizen. 

"  It  is  due  to  his  rank  and  talents,  as  well  as  to 
his  long  and  important  services,  that  I  particularly 
mention  Lieutenant-Colonel  A.  R.  Thompson,  of  the 
Sixth  Infantry,  who  fell  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty 
at  the  head  of  his  regiment.  He  was  in  feeble  health, 
brought  on  by  exposure  to  this  climate  during  the 
past  summer,  refusing  to  leave  the  country  while  his 
regiment  continued  in  it.  Although  he  received  two 
balls  from  the  fire  of  the  enemy  early  in  the  action, 
which  wounded  him  severely,  yet  he  appeared  to  dis 
regard  them,  and  continued  to  give  his  orders  with 
the  same  coolness  that  he  would  have  done  had  his 
regiment  been  under  review  or  on  any  parade  duty. 
Advancing,  he  received  a  third  ball,  which  at  once 
deprived  him  of  life.  His  last  words  were :  'Keep 
steady,  men,  charge  the  hammock — remember  the 
regiment  to  which  you  belong.'  I  had  known  Colo 
nel  Thompson  personally  only  for  a  short  time,  and 
the  more  I  knew  of  him  the  more  I  wished  to  know ; 
and  had  his  life  been  spared,  our  acquaintance  no 
doubt  would  have  ripened  into  the  closest  friendship. 
Under  such  circumstances  there  are  few,  if  any,  other 
than  his  bereaved  wife,  mother,  and  sisters,  who 
more  deeply  and  sincerely  lament  his  loss,  or  who 
will  longer  cherish  his  memory  than  myself. 

"  Captain  Van-Swearingen,    Lieutenant   Brooke, 


72  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

and  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  Center,  of  the  same 
regiment,  who  fell  on  that  day,  had  no  superiors  of 
their  years  in  service,  and  in  point  of  chivalry  ranked 
among  the  first  in  the  army  or  nation  ;  besides  their 
pure  and  disinterested  courage,  they  possessed  other 
qualifications,  which  qualified  them  to  fill  the  highest 
grades  of  their  profession,  which,  no  doubt,  they 
would  have  attained  and  adorned  had  their  lives 
been  spared.  The  two  former  served  with  me  on 
another  arduous  and  trying  campaign,  and  on  every 
occasion,  whether  in  the  camp,  on  the  march,  or  on 
the  field  of  battle,  discharged  their  various  duties  to 
my  entire  satisfaction. 

"  With  great  respect,,  etc.,  etc., 

"Z.  TAYLOR,  Colonel  Commanding. 
"  To  BRIGADIER-GENERAL  JONES,  Adjutant-General,  U.  S.  Army, 
Washington.  D.  C" 

This  faithful  story  of  a  trying  campaign  of  six 
weeks,  a  dreadful  battle  in  the  Everglades,  and  the 
self-sacrifice  and  suffering  of  his  command,  stamps 
the  ability,  the  efficiency,  the  gallantry,  and  the 
subsequent  gentleness  of  Colonel  Taylor.  His  ex 
cellent  wife,  who  never  would  be  long  separated 
from  her  husband  and  had  accompanied  or  fol 
lowed  him  to  nearly  every  frontier  post,  did  not 
fail  him  here.  She  remained  at  Fort  Brooke  (Tampa), 
and  there  met  the  column  of  wounded  men  as  it 
slowly  filed  in  and  successively  unloaded  its  pallid 
and  helpless  burdens  at  the  temporary  canvas  hos 
pital.  Her  positive  helpfulness,  her  example,  and 
her  "  unfailing  hopefulness  "  in  sad  hours  materially 
aided  the  perfunctory  work  of  the  medical  officers, 
nurses,  and  attendants,  so  that  many  a  poor  fellow 


THE   FLORIDA   WAR.  ^ 

who  eventually  recovered,  never  after  that  failed  to 
speak  of  Mrs.  Taylor  with  gratitude  and  affection. 

Two  substantial  rewards,  as  a  soldier  counts  re 
wards,  came  to  Colonel  Taylor  for  his  well-timed 
victory.  First  there  was  an  appreciative  letter  from 
the  commander-in-chief.  General  Alexander  Macomb, 
dated  February  20,  1838  ;  and,  second,  there  followed 
in  time  the  new  commission  to  which  we  have  previ 
ously  referred,  to  wit :  "  Colonel  Zachary  Taylor  is 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier-General  by  brevet 
for  distinguished  services  in  the  battle  of  Kissimmee 
(Okeechobee)  in  Florida." 

It  was  a  little  later  when  General  Jesup  asked 
to  be  relieved  from  that  troublesome  field,  and 
the  entire  command  was  devolved  upon  General 
Taylor.  The  latter  immediately  introduced  a  new 
plan  of  operations,  dividing  his  forces,  volunteer  and 
regular.  He  caused  a  reasonable  limited  district  to 
be  patrolled  by  the  detatchment  which  he  sent  to 
occupy  it.  He  armed  the  white  settlers  so  that  by 
stockading,  a  few  assembled,  if  sufficiently  watchful, 
could  defend  themselves  against  sudden  assault. 
His  men  thus  distributed  had  many  small  battles 
here  and  there  which  were  reported  successful,  but 
still  the  end  was  not  to  come  during  his  reign.  He 
gathered  up  a  few  parties  of  hostiles  and  sent  them 
West,  yet  the  great  body  of  the  different  tribes,  with 
a  sprinkling  of  escaped  slaves,  still  clung  to  their  im 
penetrable  fastnesses  and  managed,  at  the  most  un 
expected  times,  in  small  bands,  to  rob  and  outrage  a 
family,  to  burn  a  house,  to  fire,  always  hitting  their 
mark,  from  close  thickets  upon  passing  wagons,  and 
then  quickly  to  disappear  without  leaving  a  trail  or 
trace  that  could  be  followed. 


74  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

In  his  first  visit,  in  1856,  to  Florida,  the  writer 
remembers  that  the  place  where  "  Harney's  surprise  " 
occurred  was  pointed  out  to  him  on  the  Caloosehat- 
chee,  not  far  from  Fort  Meyers.  In  that  vicinity, 
in  accordance  with  a  sort  of  half-and-half  policy, 
lately  introduced  by  General  Alexander  Macomb,  a 
place  for  trading  with  the  Indians  was  established, 
and  Colonel  Harney  was  sent  with  a  detachment  of 
dragoons  to  guard  it.  The  scattered  Indians  soon 
found  out  this  kind  provision  for  them,  and  flocked 
in  and  bartered  their  skins,  bows  and  arrows,  and 
the  trinkets  of  their  own  manufacture  for  the  sutler's 
goods.  The  place  was  so  generally  understood  and  so 
well  established  that  even  that  wary  Indian  fighter, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Harney,  was,  as  if  in  a  civilized 
center,  off  his  guard.  His  camp  was  by  the  right  bank 
of  the  beautiful  river.  On  July  23,  1839,  like  the  sud 
den  bursting  of  a  dam  which  was  in  apparent  order, 
the  Indians  at  the  dawn  of  day  swooped  in  upon  the 
trading  establishment,  destroying  everything  as  they 
rushed.  Harney  and  a  few  of  his  men  instantly, 
as  they  heard  the  first  yell,  ran,  without  stopping  to 
dress  themselves,  into  the  water,  and  waded  out  to 
some  boats  anchored  near  at  hand,  and  in  these  he 
and  the  others  managed  to  escape.  About  twenty 
soldiers  and  citizens  were  slain.  Some  of  those  run 
ning  down  the  river  were  decoyed,  by  a  clear  voice 
ringing  out  in  good  English,  to  the  wooded  bank 
and  killed.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Harney  never  for 
got  this  treachery,  nor  could  apparent  friendliness 
of  savage  foes  ever  find  him  again  off  his  guard. 

From  that  day  the  Indians  were  to  be  relentlessly 
followed  till  a  complete  and  final  surrender  and  re 
moval  were  effected,  under  a  new  policy  which  grew 


THE    FLORIDA   WAR.  75 

out  of  the  morbid  fears  of  settlers,  notwithstanding 
the  avarice  of  the  traffickers  and  their  numerous 
friends  who  strove  to  prolong  the  war.  However, 
certain  army  men  always  insisted  that  they  be  al 
lowed  "  the  worthless  parts  of  that  wretched  coun 
try."  The  army  leaders,  always  having  too  few 
troops,  became  confused  in  their  judgment,  and  even 
the  dauntless  Zachary  Taylor,  though  commended 
for  his  success  and  his  activity  by  Government  and 
people,  finally,  after  two  hard  unsatisfactory  years, 
asked  to  be  relieved  from  that  situation. 

His  request  was,  though  with  considerable  re 
luctance  at  Washington,  at  last,  on  April  21,  1840, 
granted ;  and  so  he  passed  back  to  Fort  Jesup,  La., 
to  have,  as  department  commander,  charge  of  several 
States  in  the  Southwest.  This  move  afforded  him  a 
respite — a  much  needed  rest — and  this  period  of 
repose  was  to  be  of  considerable  duration.  The 
solid,  enduring  work  which,  as  yet  unknown  to  any 
body,  was  to  come,  demanded  an  interval  of  quiet 
waiting. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

General  Taylor  at  Baton  Rouge  in  1840 — The  plantation — The 
beautiful  home  near  the  barracks — How  Mrs.  Holloway  pict 
ures  the  cottage — Mrs.  Taylor's  comfort  and  joy — How  the  civil 
experience  ended — Sent  to  the  Louisiana  and  Texas  frontier 
— How  the  Mexican  War  began — Taylor's  position — Taylor's 
letter  of  July  2oth,  New  Orleans,  1845 — Sets  out  for  St.  Joseph's 
Island — Moved  to  Corpus  Christ! — The  forces  —  Twiggs's 
Cavalry — A  pleasant  camp. 

DURING  the  year  1840  the  headquarters  of  the 
First  Infantry  were  at  Baton  Rouge,  and  General 
Taylor  was  stationed  there  ;  so  I  presume,  if  the  new 
department  of  the  Southwest  had  been  announced  in 
orders,  as  several  authors  intimate,  with  headquarters 
far  away  at  Fort  Jesup,  that  General  Taylor  must 
have  asked  to  exercise  the  command  from  Baton 
Rouge.  This  accords  too  with  the  stories  concern 
ing  his  plantation  and  the  modest  little  home  of  his 
family.  Lossing  gives  a  picture  of  the  choice 
Southern  cottage  with  its  broad  porches;  and  Mrs. 
Holloway,  the  authoress,  says  much  of  the  sweet 
home  and  the  family  life  there.  She  writes: 

"  The  soldiers  usually  quartered  at  Baton  Rouge 
were  mustering  along  the  banks  of  the  Red  River, 
and  the  buildings  were  left,  save  a  single  company  of 
infantry,  without  occupants,  and  Mrs.  Taylor  could 
select  her  'quarters'  with  all  the  facilities  the  place 
afforded.  Leaving  the  imposing  brick  buildings,  with 


ANNEXATION   OF   TEXAS.  ~j 

their  comfortable  arrangements  for  housekeeping,  to 
the  entire  possession  of  one  or  two  officers'  families, 
Mrs.  Taylor  selected  a  little  tumble-down  cottage, 
situated  directly  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  which  was 
originally  erected  for  and  inhabited  by  the  captain 
commandant  when  the  post  belonged  to  Spain. 

"  In  the  long  years  of  its  existence  the  cottage, 
consisting  only  of  a  suite  of  three  or  four  rooms, 
inclosed  under  galleries,  had  become  quaint  in 
appearance  and  much  out  of  repair,  and  was  hardly 
considered  else  than  a  sort  of  admitted  wreck  of 
former  usefulness,  left  because  it  was  a  harmless, 
familiar  object,  entirely  out  of  the  way  of  the  lawn 
and  parade  ground.  To  Mrs.  Taylor's  eyes  this 
old  cottage  seemed  to  possess  peculiar  charms,  for 
she  promptly  decided  to  give  up  the  better  quarters 
at  her  disposal,  as  the  wife  of  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  military  department,  and  move  into  this 
cottage. 

"With  the  aid  of  her  own  servants,  two  in  num 
ber,  and  the  usual  assistance  always  afforded  by  in 
valid  soldiers  unfit  for  military  duties,  she  soon  put 
the  neglected  place  in  proper  order.  It  was  re 
marked  by  the  people  of  Baton  Rouge  how  rapidly 
the  old  Spanish  commandant's  cottage  became 
transformed  into  a  comfortable  dwelling  under  the 
superintendence  of  the  new  occupants.  And  in  a 
country  where  so  much  is  left  to  servants  and  where 
the  mistress  and  daughters  had  so  many  at  command, 
they  set  the  noble  example  of  doing  much  them 
selves. 

"The  house  had  but  four  rooms,  surrounded  on 
all  sides  by  a  veranda,  and  thus  in  the  hottest 
weather  there  was  always  a  shady  side,  and  in  the 


78  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

coldest,  one  most  sheltered ;  and  so  cozy  and  com 
fortable  did  the  house  become  under  the  manage 
ment  of  its  new  mistress,  that  Mrs.  Taylor  was  most 
thoroughly  justified  in  her  choice  by  the  universal 
commendation  of  the  citizens  of  the  town,  that  it 
was  now  the  pleasantest  residence  in  all  the  country 
round,  and  its  immates  were  probably  as  contented 
and  happy  as  people  can  be."  As  soon  as  he  could, 
the  general  purchased  not  only  this  pretty  cottage, 
but  a  large  estate  near  at  hand,  higher  up  the  river, 
and  this  ever  after  afforded  him  a  convenient  home 
and  a  place  for  his  family  during  all  subsequent  field 
operations. 

When  in  1841  the  First  Infantry  went  back  to  the 
Northwest  and  divided  itself  betwen  Forts  Crawford 
and  Snelling  and  a  few  other  posts,  General  Taylor 
was  transferred  in  July,  1843,  to  the  Sixth  Infantry; 
but  he  was  kept  on  detached  duty  commanding 
"Department  No.  i";  and  his  headquarters,  prob 
ably  for  the  convenience  of  the  supply  corps,  were 
put  at  New  Orleans.  This  enabled  him  easily  to 
inspect  the  scattered  garrisons — such  as  Towson, 
Gibson,  Jesup,  Wood,  Pike,  Pickens,  and  others  within 
his  limits  at  will,  and  also  to  spend  part  of  the  peace- 
days  on  his  own  estate  near  Baton  Rouge. 

General  Taylor  could  in  any  event  always  be 
trusted  to  give  all  essential  thought  and  time  to  the 
public  service.  These  glimpses  into  his  public  and  pri 
vate  life  afford  samples  sufficient  to  enable  us  to  see 
what  that  life  was  during  the  five  years  of  his  resi 
dence  on  the  Mississippi.  When  at  one  time  he  was 
offered  a  public  reception  he  wrote,  in  declining,  that 
he  was  hopeful  of  accomplishing  the  object  of  his 
having  a  frontier  command,  and  his  fellow-citizens 


ANNEXATION    OF   TEXAS. 


79 


might  be  sure  that  he  would  not  be  recreant  to  his 
trust.  This  could  not  mean,  however,  that  General 
Taylor  was,  from  the  time  it  became  a  national  issue, 
in  favor  of  the  immediate  annexation — or,  as  the  word 
was,  reannexation — of  Texas  to  the  United  States. 
His  sentiments  are  often  expressed  in  his  letters. 
In  one  he  says:  "At  the  last  Presidential  canvass 
(1844)  it  was  well  known  to  all  with  whom  I  mixed, 
Whigs  and  Democrats — for  I  made  no  concealments 
in  the  matter — that  I  was  decidedly  in  favor  of  Mr. 
Clay's  election."  President  John  Tyler,  after  the 
death  of  General  Harrison,  made  this  one  issue,  the 
speedy  annexation  of  Texas,  the  main  plank  in  his 
platform ;  but  Mr.  Clay,  when  war  seemed  inevitable 
as  a  result,  opposed  him  in  this  with  all  his  might. 

We  then  may  understand  General  Taylor  as  sim 
ply  a  true  and  faithful  soldier,  loyal  to  his  country 
and  to  his  flag.  The  ostensible  object  of  the  forma 
tion  of  this  department  of  the  Southwest  was  :  peace 
with  the  Indian  tribes  and  peace,  if  possible,  with 
other  neighbors.  The  announced  object  by  Presi 
dent  and  Congress  was  never  till  1845  more  than  to 
observe  and  steady  matters  along  the  Texan  border, 
where  disturbance  was  likely  to  occur  at  any  time. 
In  another  letter,  written  to  a  Mexican  general,  Tay 
lor  says  :  "  I  hardly  need  advise  you  that,  charged  as 
I  am,  in  only  a  military  capacity,  with  the  perform 
ance  of  specific  duties,  I  can  not  enter  into  a  discus 
sion  of  the  international  question  involved  in  the 
advance  of  the  American  army."  This  one  sentence 
explains  the  attitude  of  Taylor,  Scott,  and  the  com 
manders,  military  and  naval,  in  the  Mexican  War. 

The  cause  of  the  war  may  be  briefly  stated : 
Texas  fought  for  some  years  for  her  independence. 


8o  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

She  was  greatly  helped  by  men  who,  like  General 
Houston,  had  gone  from  the  United  States  and  set 
tled  within  her  boundaries.  Her  efforts  were  at  last 
so  far  successful  that  her  independence  was  not  only 
recognized  by  foreign  powers,  but  finally  there  was 
a  quasi-conditional  acquiescence  and  recognition  by 
the  Mexican  republic  itself.  Undoubtedly  the  en 
terprising  American  emigrants,  who  were  foremost 
in  fighting  the  battles  of  Texas,  and  never  failed  to 
come  to  the  front  when  conventions  assembled  to 
form  a  "free  and  independent  government,"  were  all 
the  time  desirous  of  forming  part  and  parcel  of  the 
great  American  republic.  There  were  various  rea 
sons  : 

ist.  Their  population  was  sparse,  and  the  people 
found  it  difficult  to  maintain  themselves  alone  finan 
cially  or  defensively  for  any  length  of  time. 

2d.  They  better  secured  the  kind  of  govern 
ment  they  most  desired  under  the  tegis  of  our  gen 
eral  government. 

3d.  The  majority  of  the  emigrants  had  come 
from  the  slave  States,  and  they  freely  co-operated 
with  the  Southern  political  sentiment  that  had 
not  failed  from  the  first  to  keep  an  equipoise  be 
tween  the  free  and  the  slave  country,  particularly 
when  new  States  had  knocked  at  the  doors  of  the 
Union  for  admission.  Texas  must  swell  the  slave 
area.  Texas  can  be  divided  when  population  shall 
warrant  the  division,  and  so  furnish  several  new 
States. 

These  were  reasons  and  arguments  without  and 
within  our  boundaries.  The  first  propositions  for 
annexation  were  favorably  considered  by  the  ma 
jority  of  Congress.  For  a  State  to  separate  itself 


ANNEXATION   OF    TEXAS.  8 1 

from  one  republic  ostensibly  to  establish  its  own 
independent  sovereignty,  and  then  offer  itself  imme 
diately  to  a  sister  republic,  seemed  to  some  of  our 
statesmen  to  border  upon  sharp  practice.  It  was  too 
much  like  a  husband  seeking  a  divorce  upon  some 
pretense,  while  he  cherished  the  secret  design  of 
marrying  another. 

It  not  only  appeared  faithless  on  the  part  of 
Texas,  but,  if  we  annexed,  it  argued  a  previous  col 
lusion  on  our  part,  and  was  sure  to  give  offense  to 
Mexico.  Orators  and  statesmen  for  years  rang  the 
changes  upon  this  and  like  objections  to  annexation. 
We  mentioned  the  word  reannexation.  This  was  a 
claim  set  up  by  those  who,  with  much  show  of  reason, 
tried  to  demonstrate  that  Texas  once  belonged  to 
the  United  States  in  the  Louisiana  purchase,  and 
had,  of  course,  been  improperly  severed  by  the 
Mexican  people.  It  was  therefore  claimed  to  be  right 
and  proper  that  Texas  should  be  reunited  to  the 
American  republic. 

Just  before  President  John  Tyler's  term  expired 
this  measure  of  annexation — which,  against  the  policy 
and  platform  of  the  party  that  elected  him,  he  had 
ardently  supported — was  passed  by  Congress.  It  be 
came  a  law  March  i,  1845.  The  Hon.  James  G. 
Elaine,  looking  back,  remarks:  "Its  terms  were 
promptly  accepted  by  Texas,  and  at  the  next  session 
of  Congress,  beginning  December,  1845,  the  constitu 
tion  of  the  new  State  was  approved.  Historic  in 
terest  attached  to  the  appearance  of  Sam  Houston 
and  Thomas  J.  Rusk  as  the  first  senators  from  the 
great  State  which  they  had  torn  from  Mexico  and 
added  to  the  Union."  He  adds  some  further  senti 
ments  that  some  aged  Whigs  would  hardly  indorse, 


82  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

but  which  now  commend  themselves  to  the  majority 
of  thinking  people.  He  writes  : 

"  The  lapse  of  forty  years  and  the  important 
events  of  intervening  history  gave  the  opportunity 
for  impartial  judgment  concerning  the  policy  of  ac 
quiring  Texas.  We  were  not  guiltless  towards  Mex 
ico  in  originally  permitting  if  not  encouraging  our 
citizens  to  join  in  the  revolt  of  one  of  the  States  of 
that  Republic.  But  Texas  had  passed  definitely  and 
finally  beyond  the  control  of  Mexico,  and  the  practi 
cal  issue  was,  whether  we  should  incorporate  her  in 
the  Union  or  leave  her  to  drift  in  uncertain  currents 
— possibly  to  form  European  alliances,  which  we 
should  afterwards  be  compelled,  in  self-defense,  to 
destroy.  An  astute  statesman  of  that  period  summed 
up  the  whole  case  when  he  declared  that  it  was  wiser 
policy  to  annex  Texas,  and  accept  the  issue  of  im 
mediate  war  with  Mexico,  than  to  leave  Texas  in 
nominal  independence  to  involve  us  probably  in  ulti 
mate  war  with  England.  The  entire  history  of  sub 
sequent  events  has  vindicated  the  wisdom,  the  cour 
age,  and  the  statesmanship  with  which  the  Demo 
cratic  party  dealt  with  this  question  in  1844." 

It  will  be  readily  recalled  that  the  Mexican  Min 
ister,  on  the  passage  of  the  joint  resolution  by  our 
Congress,  demanded  his  passports  and  left  the  coun 
try.  President  Polk,  though  just  elected,  did  not 
hesitate  to  grapple  with  the  difficulties  that  immedi 
ately  arose.  Mexico  went  further  than  her  Minister's 
action  and  protest.  She  organized  an  army,  and 
publicly  proclaimed  her  intention  to  go  to  war  with 
the  United  States  ;  though  not  actually  declaring  war, 
she  would  certainly  cross  the  boundaries  and  make 
an  effort  to  seize  upon  Texas.  These  facts  Mr. 


ANNEXATION   OF    TEXAS.  83 

Polk  set  forth  in  a  message  to  Congress  and  avowed 
his  intention,  as  a  precautionary  act,  to  order  a  strong 
naval  squadron  to  the  Mexican  coast  and  "  to  concen 
trate  an  efficient  military  force  on  the  Western  front 
ier  of  Texas." 

Texas  laid  claim  to  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte  as 
the  proper  boundary  to  her  domain.  Mexico,  now 
bent  on  a  quarrel,  insisted  that  the  Texas  and  Mexi 
can  dividing  line  should  be  the  Nueces  River.  The 
aggressive  party  was  in' power  at  Washington,  and  so 
the  Texas  claim  was  warmly  sustained  by  the  ad 
ministration  ;  still,  President  Polk  at  first  made  an 
effort  to  settle  the  question  in  dispute  by  negotia 
tion,  which  could  easily  have  been  done  had  Mexico 
been  willing  to  yield  the  two  principal  points  at 
issue — viz.:  First,  the  right  of  Texas  as  an  inde 
pendent  State  to  seek  and  receive  admission  into 
our  Union.  Second,  the  right  of  Texas,  and  hence 
of  the  United  States,  to  the  region  lying  between 
the  Nueces  and  the  Rio  Grande.  Mr.  Polk  had  the 
able  and  energetic  William  L.  Marcy  as  Secretary 
of  War. 

The  author,  Fayette  Robinson,  in  his  volume  en 
titled  The  Army,  places  General  Taylor,  May  28, 
1845,  at  Fort  Jesup,  La.  The  headquarters,  "army 
of  observation,"  however,  were  at  New  Orleans ;  so 
that  General  Taylor  must  have  gone  to-  that  border 
post,  as  is  most  probable,  in  order  to  carry  out  Mr. 
Marcy's  instructions  which  he  received  at  that  date 
— to  wit :  To  get  as  near  Texas  as  he  could  while 
waiting  for  Texas'  accepting  our  conditions  of  ad 
mission,  to  keep  his  troops  in  hand  ready  to  cross 
the  Texas  line,  "  to  repel  invasion  either  of  Mexicans 
or  Indians,"  to  call  for  volunteers  should  Mexico  be- 


84  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

gin  war,  and  to  keep  himself  informed  of  Texas'  ac 
tion  by  holding  communication  with  that  Govern 
ment  at  the  town  of  Washington,  Texas,  and  with 
Hon.  A.  J.  Donelson,  the  United  States  agent  resi 
dent  there. 

The  Texas  Congress  assembled  in  accordance 
with  President  Anson  Jones's  call  of  date  June  4, 
at  Washington,  Texas,  June  16,  1845.  After  debate, 
by  a  joint  resolution  approved  June  23,  1845,  the 
Congress  assented  to  the  conditions  for  annexation, 
and  ordered  a  call  for  a  convention  to  assemble  at 
the  city  of  Austin,  July  4,  1845.  The  convention  met 
pursuant  to  the  above  call,  and  on  the  day  it  assem 
bled,  passed  unanimously  an  ordinance,  fifty-seven 
delegates  sent  from  previous  county  conventions  sub 
scribing  to  the  same.  The  last  clause  of  the  ordi 
nance  is  as  follows :  "  Now,  in  order  to  manifest  the 
sentiment  of  the  people  of  this  republic,  as  required 
in  the  above  recited  portions  of  the  said  resolutions 
(those  of  the  Texas  Congress,  and  of  the  United 
States  Congress,  March  i,  1845),  we,  the  deputies  of 
the  people  of  Texas,  in  convention  assembled,  in 
their  name,  and  by  their  authority,  do  ordain  and 
declare  that  we  assent  to  and  accept  the  proposals, 
conditions,  and  guarantees  contained  in  the  first  and 
second  sections  of  the  resolutions  of  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States  aforesaid.'' 

On  June  28  Mr.  Donelson  wrote  an  important 
letter  to  General  Taylor,  still  at  Fort  Jesup,  and  he 
did  this  in  anticipation  of  the  favorable  action  of  the 
convention.  A  few  extracts  will  explain  the  situa 
tion  :  "  At  all  events,  it  [the  invasion]  is  so  probable 
as  to  justify  the  removal  of  your  force,  without 
delay,  to  the  Western  frontier  of  Texas,  in  order 


ANNEXATION   OF    TEXAS.  £5 

that  you  may  be  ready  to  give  the  protection  which 
the  President  of  the  United  States  has  felt  himself 
authorized  to  offer.  ...  I  would  advise  you  to  send 
your  dragoons  overland.  .  .  .  Your  infantry  .  . 
with  transportation  from  New  Orleans  to  Corpus 
Christi,  as  being  the  most  certain  and  less  expensive 
route  .  .  .  Corpus  Christi  is  the  most  western  point 
now  occupied  by  Texas.  .  .  .  But  it  should  be  dis 
tinctly  understood  that  your  action  will  be  strictly 
defensive,  and  aimed  at  the  protection  of  the  rights 
of  Texas." 

After  showing  General  Taylor  the  disputed  terri 
tory  between  the  Nueces  and  the  Rio  Grande,  Mr. 
Donelson  remarks:  "  The  threatened  invasion,  how 
ever,  of  Texas,  is  founded  upon  the  assumption  that 
she  has  no  territory  independent  of  Mexico."  And 
lastly,  evidently  the  inspiration  of  President  Polk 
himself,  he  adds:  "You  can  safely  hold  possession 
of  Corpus  Christi  and  all  other  points  up  the  Nueces; 
and  if  Mexico  attempts  to  dislodge  you,  drive  her 
beyond  the  Rio  Grande."  Curiously  enough,  thirteen 
days  earlier — June  15 — George  Bancroft,  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  and  acting  Secretary  of  War,  prophet- 
like,  informed  General  Taylor  that  on  July  4  the 
people  of  Texas  would  have  acceded  to  the  union 
and  Texas  become  de  facto  and  de  jure  one  of  the 
United  States.  He  was  forthwith  ordered  to  march  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Sabine,  or  wherever  he  might 
think  it  advisable  within  Texas.  He  was  also  au 
thorized  to  occupy  any  post  on  or  near  the  Rio  Grande 
which  he  might  think  necessary  to  repel  invasion. 
Mr.  Bancroft  at  this  time  forbade  him  to  cross  the 
Rio  Grande,  "  unless  Mexico  should  make  the  first 
attack." 
7 


86  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

It  has  been  necessary  to  be  thus  specific  in 
showing  General  Taylor's  instructions,  in  order  to 
demonstrate  that  there  was  no  effort  or  haste  on 
his  part  to  inaugurate  a  war.  The  Washington, 
D.  C.,  authorities  were,  as  we  notice,  even  ahead 
of  those  in  Texas.  But  probably  our  administra 
tion  hoped  that  we  might  not  be  compelled  be 
yond  a  defensive  atttiude.  Donelson  shows  pretty 
plainly  in  his  dispatches  that  agents  from  England 
and  France  to  Mexico  worked  against  this  an 
nexation  and  warmly  favored  the  Mexican  threats 
of  war. 

General  Taylor  came  back  from  the  Lousiana 
frontier  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  hastened  the 
preparations  for  embarking  his  infantry,  artillery, 
and  supplies.  He  soon  received  from  the  War  De 
partment  a  reiteration  of  instructions  similar  to  those 
above  detailed.  They  were  dated  at  Washington, 
July  8,  and  acknowledged  by  a  brief  letter  from 
Taylor  dated  July  20.  This  letter  is  so  expressive 
and  characteristic  of  General  Taylor  that  it  is  in 
serted  in  full : 

"  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  MILITARY  DEPARTMENT, 

NEW  ORLEANS,  LA.,  July  20,  1845. 

"  SIR  :  I  respectfully  acknowledge  your  communi 
cation  of  July  8,  conveying  the  instructions  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  of  the  same  date,  relative  to  the 
Mexican  settlements  on  this  side  of  the  Rio  Grande. 
These  instructions  will  be  closely  obeyed  ;  and  the 
Department  may  rest  assured  that  I  will  take  no  step 
to  interrupt  the  friendly  relations  between  the  United 
States  and  Mexico.  I  am  gratified  at  receiving  these 
instructions,  as  they  confirm  my  views,  previously 


ANNEXATION   OF   TEXAS.  87 

communicated,  in  regard  to  the  proper  line  to  be  oc 
cupied  at  present  by  our  troops. 

"  I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"Z.  TAYLOR, 

"Brevet  Brigadier-General  U.  S.  A.,  Commanding. 
"  To  THE  ADJUTANT-GENERAL  OF  THE  ARMY,  Washington,  D.  C" 

General  Taylor,  with  eight  companies  of  the 
Third  Infantry,  left  New  Orleans  by  transports  so  as 
to  arrive  at  St.  Joseph's  Island,  Texas,  July  25.  He 
found  "  the  difficulties  of  a  debarkation  on  this  coast 
and  of  establishing  depots  for  supplying  the  army  " 
much  greater  than  he  had  anticipated.  He  had  now 
received  positive  information  from  Austin  of  the 
action  of  the  Texas  convention  ;  he  named  his  forces 
"Army  of  Occupation,"  and  he  still  advised  not  to 
send  two  companies  to  Austin,  but  to  keep  concen 
trated  till  Mexico  should  show  her  hand. 

In  twenty  days  he  had  sufficiently  reconnoitred 
the  coast  and  had  moved  up  to  Corpus  Christi  ;  he 
had  just  received  the  news  that  Mexico  had  taken 
"  the  preparatory  steps  "  toward  a  declaration  of 
war  against  the  United  States  ;  he  gave  the  report 
of  General  Arista's  intended  move  from  Mon 
terey  forward  to  Matamoras,  August  4,  with  fifteen 
hundred  men,  five  hundred  being  cavalry;  but  did 
not  hear  that  an  invasion  of  Texas  was  yet  contem 
plated. 

There  is  abundance  of  interesting  correspondence 
between  General  Taylor  and  the  War  Department 
and  other  such  with  the  Texas  officials.  More 
troops  soon  followed  the  Third  Infantry  to  Corpus 
Christi,  among  them  the  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Eighth 


88  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Infantry,  and  considerable  artillery,  besides  the 
Louisiana  volunteers.  He  says  of  his  military  posi 
tion  (October  4,  1845)  that  it  combined  many  ad 
vantages — "  healthy,  easily  supplied,  and  well  situated 
to  hold  in  observation  the  course  of  the  Rio  Grande 
from  Matamoras  to  Laredo."  It  exercised  a  salutary 
effect  upon  the  Mexicans.  ..."  They  are  struck  by 
the  spectacle  of  a  large  camp  of  well-appointed  and 
disciplined  troops,  etc."  Still,  if  he  understands 
the  views  of  the  Government — viz.,  to  make  the  Rio 
Grande  the  ultimatum — he  "  can  not  doubt  that  the 
settlement  will  be  greatly  facilitated  and  hastened  by 
our  taking  possession  at  once  of  one  or  two  suitable 
points  on  or  quite  near  that  river ;  should  he  be 
ordered  forward,  he  recommends  Point  Isabel  and 
Laredo  for  depot  and  observing  stations.  "  Isabel  is 
accessible  by  water,"  and  easily  defended;  "Laredo 
(on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande)  will  require  a 
land  march  " ;  he  was  already  reconnoitring  in  view 
of  the  apparent  wishes,  but  not  yet  the  instructions,  of 
the  administration  ;  he  had  from  Governor  Anson 
Jones  the  promise  of  one  thousand  Texas  volunteers  ; 
a  part  of  this  promise  was  fulfilled  ;  he  went  out  to 
meet  two  squadrons  of  the  Second  regiment  of  dra 
goons,  who  were  approaching  Corpus  Christi,  and 
August  27  escorted  them  to  the  vicinage  of  his 
beautiful  camp.  They,  under  the  famous  Colonel 
Twiggs,  had  marched  from  Fort  Jesup,  La.,  to  Cor 
pus  Christi  in  thirty-two  days,  resting  eight  days 
en  route.  The  distance  in  a  right  line  is  about  four 
hundred  miles,  but  the  dragoons  by  the  routes  they 
took  made  at  least  five  hundred.  A  writer  says :  "  The 
position  taken  by  General  Taylor  is  one  of  extreme 
beauty,  and  when  our  eyes  first  rested  upon  his  camp, 


ANNEXATION    OF    TEXAS.  89 

clustered  with  a  thousand  spotless  white  tents  along 
the  shelly  margin  of  the  shore  of  Corpus  Christ! 
Bay,  irresistible  bursts  of  admiration  followed.  .  .  ." 
The  Louisiana  volunteers  had  the  left  of  this 
charming  camp,  Twiggs  with  his  dragoons  the  right, 
while  the  center  was  filled  by  the  Third,  Fourth, 
Fifth,  Seventh,  and  Eighth  regiments  of  U.  S.  In 
fantry,  and  a  battalion  of  artillery  troops  equipped 
as  infantry.  The  salubrity  of  the  climate  here  on 
Taylor's  plateau  could  hardly  be  excelled  in  Italy. 
The  days  even  in  summer  were  comfortable  under 
the  constant  breezes,  and  the  nights  always  cool,  and 
the  troops  not,  as  in  Florida,  worried  by  fleas  or 
mosquitoes.  They  had  oysters  in  abundance  and 
fish  at  will.  The  hunting  also  rewarded  the  efforts 
of  officers  and  men  when  allowed  to  go  beyond  the 
encampment.  Here,  then,  at  Corpus  Christi,  the 
little  army  of  occupation,  perhaps  all  told  three  thou 
sand  souls,  remained  till  March  8,  1846.  Here  his 
army  obtained  that  discipline,  drill,  organization, 
essential  instruction,  and  social  cementing  which 
such  a  completely  furnished,  untiring  general  as 
Zachary  Taylor  could  secure  to  it.  It  became  strong. 
and  conscious  of  its  strength,  under  the  leader  that 
the  soldiers  believed  in ;  this  was  an  esprit  de  corps 
hard  to  produce,  but,  when  produced,  hard  enough 
for  a  foe  to  face  and  overcome. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Holding  the  Nueces — Rio  Grande  claimed — Testimony  of  a 
distinguished  friend  still  living — Taylor's  judiciousness — In 
sists  on  orders — The  move  to  Point  Isabel — General  Taylor 
by  land — Major  Monroe  by  sea — Mexican  generals,  Mejia 
and  Ampudia — What  they  did — Taylor's  correspondence  with 
the  enemy — His  first  discouragements  and  losses — How 
operations  were  commenced  in  the  Rio  Grande  valley — The 
blockade  of  the  Rio  Grande  (or  Rio  del  Norte) — Arista's 
coming — His  aims — His  strong  protest — General  Taylor's 
reply. 

THIS  is  the  situation  March  i,  1846:  General 
Taylor  occupied  the  line  of  the  Nueces,  and  for  de 
fensive  purposes  can  hold  it  against  successful  dis- 
lodgment.  He  has  sufficiently  reconnoitred  all  the 
territory  and  all  the  coast  as  far  as  the  Rio  Grande. 
If  the  Government  decides  to  make  the  Rio  Grande 
the  boundary,  General  Taylor  deems  it  wise  to  move 
to  that  river  before  the  Mexican  general  shall  take 
the  initiative.  In  case  this  be  done,  Point  Isabel 
(held  by  a  small  detachment  and  the  navy),  provided 
a  vessel  of  war  will  come  and  stay,  will  constitute 
the  main  depot  of  supply.  General  Taylor  was  a 
judicious  soldier.  He  had  long  schooled  himself 
never  to  deviate  from  his  instructions  except  when 
there  was  a  plain,  indisputable  necessity  for  it,  and 
so  now,  before  breaking  camp,  he  reviewed  his  orders 
and  discussed  them  with  his  trusted  staff. 


PART  OF 

TEXAS 

AND 

ORTHERN  MEXICO 

SHOWING  THE 
FIELD  OF  TAYLOR'S  OPERATIONS. 

SCALE  OF  MILES 


ADVANCE    TO   THE    RIO   GRANDE.  91 

A  distinguished  writer,  Dr.  Francis  W.  Upham,  of 
New  York,  who  was  at  that  time  in  the  prime  of  his 
young  manhood  and  who  reveres  the  memory  of  our 
hero,  General  Taylor,  almost  worshiping  at  his  shrine, 
now  makes,  concerning  the  period  at  Corpus  Christi, 
a  very  suggestive  recital  of  the  testimony  of  an 'army 
friend.  He  says  :  "  On  the  question  of  whether  the 
Mexican  War  was  the  deliberate  plan  and  purpose  of 
President  Polk,  I  have  thought  and  inquired  much, 
and  the  result  has  been  to  show  me  the  uncertainty 
and  doubt  which  hangs,  and  will  forever,  around 
many  important  and  interesting  questions.  As  bear 
ing  upon  this,  let  me  state  that  I  formed  the  ac 
quaintance  of  Captain  Cram,  who  at  his  death  had 
become  an  officer  of  much  higher  rank,  an  officer  of 
the  engineers,  employed  at  that  time  on  the  coast 
survey.  Captain  Cram  was  with  the  army  com 
manded  by  General  Taylor,  but,  falling  a  victim  to 
the  malarious  nature  of  that  country,  he  was  sent 
North  for  his  health  before  the  battle  of  Palo  Alto. 
At  the  time  he  was  employed  on  the  coast  survey- 
near  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  he  had  a  very  sad  and 
dangerous  relapse,  at  which  time  I  took  care  of  him. 
I  merely  state  this  to  show  the  nature  of  the  inter 
course  between  us.  He  told  of  a  council  or  con 
ference  which  General  Taylor  held  with  such  officers 
as  were  near  his  person,  and  at  which  he  himself  was 
present,  at  receiving  a  voluminous  dispatch  from  Mr. 
Marcy,  Secretary  of  War.  In  this  long  letter,  written, 
of  course,  with  the  approval  of  President  Polk,  the 
Secretary  argued  in  favor  of  the  policy  of  the  army 
moving  over  to  the  extreme  limit  of  the  territory  that 
was  in  dispute — that  is,  to  the  Rio  Grande;  and  it 
was  clearly  apparent  that,  whatever  might  have  been 


Q2  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

the  judgment  of  so  clear-headed  a  man  as  the  Secre 
tary,  the  administration  was  decidedly  in  favor  of  it. 
The  day  was  hot,  and  in  the  sultry  air  General  Taylor 
listened  to  the  dispatch  till  he  was  fully  possessed  of 
the  idea  that  his  Government  wished  the  army  to 
march,  and  so  paid  small  attention  to  the  few  words 
which  concluded  the  message.  He  said  :  <  Gentle 
men,  it  seems  to  me  that  our  orders  are  that  this  army 
move  at  once  to  the  Rio  Grande.'  Captain  Cram, 
who  appears  to  have  been  somewhat  of  a  favorite 
with  General  Taylor,  who  had  been  lately  a  large 
planter  and  interested  in  engineering  operations  on 
his  plantation,  ventured  to  say  to  the  general :  '  Be 
fore  acting  upon  this,  permit  me  to  call  your  atten 
tion  to  the  few  lines  that  conclude  this  long  dis 
patch.'  General  Taylor  was  at  once  on  the  alert, 
and  as  soon  as  these  few  lines  were  read  again  he 
saw  that  the  letter  appeared  to  place  the  whole  re 
sponsibility  of  the  movement  upon  him,  and  with  the 
evident  intention  of  shielding  the  Secretary.  As 
soon  as  Taylor's  mind  was  brought  to  bear  on  these 
few  lines,  he  turned  to  his  adjutant  and  told  him  to 
write  a  dispatch  to  this  effect :  *  This  army  will  obey 
any  orders  that  may  be  received  from  the  Govern 
ment  ;  and  if  it  wills  that  this  army  march  to  the 
Rio  Grande,  an  order  must  issue  to  that  effect.' 
That  was  not  a  dispatch  to  be  trifled  with,  and  the 
order  at  last  came  imperative."  On  February  4,  1846, 
the  general  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  a  communi 
cation  from  Mr.  Marcy  containing  these  very  in 
structions  of  the  President — i.  e.,  "  to  move  forward 
with  my  force  to  the  Rio  Grande."  Captain  Cram 
gave  Mr.  Upham  the  impression  that  General  Taylor 
was  remarkable  in  many  ways,  and  particularly  a 


ADVANCE  TO  THE  RIO  GRANDE.      93 

man  of  more  general  intelligence  than  was  commonly, 
at  that  time,  credited  to  him — judicious,  decided, 
and  yet  courteous  in  his  manner. 

Everything  at  Corpus  Christi  was  in  readiness  by 
March  12.  Major  Monroe  went  with  transports  by 
water.  He  took  with  him  a  battery  of  field  guns 
and  a  siege  train  and  several  officers  of  Taylor's  per 
manent  staff.  Instead  of  a  ship-of-war,  the  revenue 
cutter  Woodbury,  Captain  Foster  commanding,  ac 
companied  this  expedition.  All  supplies  not  taken 
by  the  marching  men  went  this  way  to  Brazos 
Santiago,  and  thence  through  the  straits  to  Point 
Isabel.  The  water  movement  was  to  regulate  itself 
as  to  time  by  the  land  march. 

General  Taylor's  famous  peace  orders  were  issued 
about  this  time  of  setting  out.  They  were  printed 
in  Spanish  and  in  English  and  widely  circulated 
among  the  inhabitants  along  the  coast.  They  show 
that  his  forward  movement  was  no  secret  spring  or 
sudden  seizure,  and  need  not  have  led  to  war,  and 
doubtless  would  not  have,  had  there  not  been  other 
causes. 

Here  is  an  extract  of  field  orders:  "The  army  of 
occupation  of  Texas  being  about  to  take  position 
upon  the  left  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  under  the 
orders  of  the  Executive  of  the  United  States,  the 
General-in-Chief  desires  to  express  the  hope  that  the 
movement  will  be  advantageous  to  all  concerned, 
and  with  the  object  of  attaining  this  laudable  end  he 
has  ordered  all  under  his  command  to  observe,  with 
the  most  scrupulous  respect,  the  rights  of  all  the  in 
habitants  who  may  be  found  in  peaceful  prosecution 
of  their  respective  occupations,  as  well  on  the  left  as 
on  the  right  side  of  the  Rio  Grande.  .  .  .  Whatso- 


94 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


ever  may  be  needed  for  the  use  of  the  army  will  be 
bought  by  the  proper  purveyor,  and  paid  for  at  the 
highest  price.  The  General-in-Chief  has  the  satis 
faction  to  say  that  he  confides  in  the  patriotism  and 
discipline  of  the  army  under  his  command,  but  that 
he  feels  sure  that  the  orders  will  be  obeyed  with  the 
utmost  exactness." 

Habitually  during  this  forward  movement  these 
small  divisions  which  were  organized  into  brigades 
for  the  convenience  of  the  camps,  the  supply,  and  the 
essential  mutual  support  in  case  of  open  hostilities, 
were  some  few  miles  apart.  General  Taylor  moved 
along  with  a  designated  brigade  till  the  army  had 
reached  and  passed  the  Colorado.  Then  whife  he 
sent  the  main  column  straight  forward  toward  what 
afterward  became  Fort  Brown,  opposite  Matamoras, 
he  himself  took  Colonel  Twiggs's  dragoons  with  him 
as  an  escort  and  deviated  to  the  left  and  eastward, 
aiming  to  reach  Point  Isabel,  and  so  in  the  outset 
secure  to  himself  a  proper  base  of  supply. 

There  was  little  vegetation  along  the  line  of  the 
march  from  Corpus  Christi,  and  the  water  supply  was 
poor  enough.  The  soldiers  had  more  than  once  the 
common  but  irritating  experience  of  all  who  pass 
over  comparatively  barren  prairies  in  a  hot  climate. 
Sheets  of  water,  lakes  and  streams,  and  green  trees 
would  spread  themselves  out  before  them,  and  when 
they  had  eagerly  pressed  forward  to  quench  their 
ever-increasing  thirst,  or  gain  the  tempting  shade, 
the  deception  of  the  delusive  mirage  would  at  last 
be  revealed.  The  vision  was  more  real  when  Mexi 
cans,  mounted,  appeared  here  and  there,  an  observ 
ing  force,  only  to  retire  before  the  steady  advance 
of  the  army. 


ADVANCE  TO  THE  RIO  GRANDE. 


95 


At  the  Colorado  valley  there  was  great  refresh 
ment  and  invigoration  for  men  and  animals,  for  there 
they  found  abundant  water.  There  is  no  better  or 
briefer  description  of  the  military  situation  March 
25,  1846,  than  General  Taylor's  own  dispatch,  writ 
ten  after  his  arrival  at  Point  Isabel.  It  is  addressed 
to  the  Adjutant-General  at  Washington,  D.  C.  He 
writes : 

"  After  a  march  of  fifteen  miles  (from  the  Colora 
do)  we  reached,  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  a  point 
on  the  route  from  Matamoras  to  Point  Isabel,  eight 
een  miles  from  the  former  and  ten  miles  from  the 
latter  place.  I  here  left  the  infantry  brigades  under 
General  Worth,  with  instructions  to  proceed  in  the 
direction  of  Matamoras  until  he  came  to  a  suitable 
position  for  encampment,  where  he  would  halt,  hold 
ing  the  route  in  observation,  while  I  proceeded  to 
this  point  to  communicate  with  our  transports,  sup 
posed  to  have  arrived  in  the  harbor,  and  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  the  establishment  and 
defense  of  a  depot." 

En  route  the  general  met  some  Mexicans  bearing 
a  white  flag.  "It  proved,"  he  -continues,  "  to  be  a 
civil  deputation  from  Matamoras,  desiring  an  inter 
view  with  me.  I  informed  them  that  I  would  halt  at 
the  first  suitable  place  on  the  road  and  afford  them 
the  desired  interview.  It  was,  however,  found  neces 
sary,  from  want  of  water,  to  continue  the  route  to 
this  place.  The  deputation  halted  while  yet  some 
miles  from  Point  Isabel,  declining  to  come  farther, 
and  sent  me  a  formal  protest  of  the  prefect  of  the 
northern  district  of  Tamaulipas  against  our  occupa 
tion  of  the  country,  which  I  inclose  herewith.  At 
this  moment  it  was  discovered  that  the  buildings  at 


96  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Point  Isabel  were  in  flames.  I  then  informed  the 
bearer  of  the  protest  that  I  would  answer  it  when 
opposite  Matamoras,  and  dismissed  the  deputation. 
I  considered  the  conflagration  before  my  eyes  as  a 
decided  evidence  of  hostility,  and  was  not  willing  to 
be  trifled  with  any  longer,  particularly  as  I  had  rea 
son  to  believe  that  the  prefect,  in  making  this  protest, 
was  but  a  tool  of  the  military  authorities  at  Mata 
moras.  The  advance  of  the  cavalry  fortunately  ar 
rived  here  in  season  to  arrest  the  fire,  which  consumed 
but  three  or  four  houses. 

"  The  post  captain  who  committed  the  act  under 
the  orders,  it  is  said,  of  General  Mejia,  had  made  his 
escape  before  its  [the  cavalry's]  arrival.  ...  I  was 
gratified  to  find  that  the  water  expedition  had  exact 
ly  answered  to  our  land  movement,  the  steamers  ar 
riving  in  the  harbor  only  two  or  three  hours  before 
we  reached  Point  Isabel,  with  the  transports  close 
in  their  rear.  The  Porpoise  and  Lawrence,  brigs 
of  war,  and  cutter  Woodbury  are  lying  outside.  I 
have  thought  it  necessary  to  order  Captain  Porter's 
company  to  this  place  to  re-enforce  Major  Monroe. 
.  .  .  The  engineer  officers  are  now  examining  the 
ground  with  a  view  to  tracing  lines  of  defense  and 
strengthening  the  position.  As  soon  as  a  sufficient 
amount  of  supplies  can  be  thrown  forward  toward 
Matamoras,  I  shall  march  in  the  direction  of  that 
town  and  occupy  a  position  as  near  it  as  circum 
stances  will  permit."  A  single  sentence  from  the 
protest  of  the  prefect  explains  the  grounds  taken  by 
the  Mexicans  at  that  movement.  "So  long  as  it 
[General  Taylor's  army  of  occupation]  remains  with 
in  the  territory  of  Tamaulipas,  the  inhabitants  must 
consider  that  whatsoever  protestations  of  peace  may 


ADVANCE  TO  THE  RIO  GRANDE.      97 

be  made,  hostilities  have  been  openly  commenced  by 
your  Excellency,  the  lamentable  consequences  of 
which  will  rest  before  the  world  exclusively  on  the 
heads  of  the  invaders." 

General  Taylor  now  turned  his  force  toward  the 
Rio  Grande.  With  his  little  army  he  marched  boldly 
toward  the  river  till  Matamoras  from  the  opposite 
bank  was  in  sight,  and  there  encamped.  The  28th  of 
March,  sixteen  days  from  his  departure  from  Cor 
pus  Christi,  marks  the  possession  of  the  great  river 
boundary  which  Mexico,  still  claiming  the  whole  of 
Texas,  purposed  should  not  be  held  by  the  United 
States  without  a  struggle.  General  Ampudia  was 
on  his  way  to  relieve  and  re-enforce  Mejia,  while 
General  Taylor  was  strengthening  his  position  by 
defensive  works  and  urgently  calling  for  recruits  to 
fill  up  his  regiments.  "  The  militia  of  Texas,"  he 
said,  "  are  so  remote  from  the  border  that  we  can 
not  depend  upon  their  aid."  There  was  in  all  this 
movement,  establishment  of  depots,  and  encamp 
ment  there  on  the  left  bank  of  the  great  river,  con 
sidering  the  smallness  of  the  force,  a  military  bold 
ness  never  surpassed  by  Thomas  or  Sherman  during 
the  war  of  the  rebellion. 

Mexico  had  now  finally  rejected  the  overtures 
of  President  Polk,  and  our  Minister,  bearing  his  dis 
patches,  had,  March  21,  1846,  received  his  passports 
at  the  Mexican  capital,  and  immediately  returned  to 
the  United  States.  General  Ampudia  reached  Mata 
moras  April  nth,  and  his  conduct  showed  to  both 
friends  and  foes  that  at  last  the  Mexican  administra 
tion  had  agreed  upon  a  positive  plan  of  action.  The 
next  day,  April  i2th,  he  addressed  General  Taylor  one 
of  those  graceful  letters  which,  whether  friendly  or 


Cj8  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

hostile,  gives  evidence  of  the  beauty  and  completeness 
of  the  Spanish  language — to  wit :  "  God  and  Liberty  ! 
.  .  .  Your  Government  in  an  incredible  manner — 
you  will  permit  me  to  say,  an  extravagant  one,  if 
the  usages,  or  general  rules,  established  and  received 
among  civilized  nations  are  regarded — has  not  only 
insulted,  but  has  exasperated  the  Mexican  nation, 
bearing  its  conquering  banner  to  the  left  bank  of  the 
Rio  Bravo  del  Norte ;  and  in  this  case,  by  explicit 
and  definite  orders  of  my  Government,  which  neither 
can,  will,  nor  should  receive  new  outrages,  I  require 
you  in  all  force,  and  at  latest  in  the  peremptory  term 
of  twenty-four  hours,  to  break  up  your  camp  and 
retire  to  the  other  bank  of  the  Nueces  River,  while 
our  Governments  are  regulating  the  pending  ques 
tions  in  relation  to  Texas.  If  you  insist  upon  remain 
ing  upon  the  soil  of  the  Department  of  Tamaulipas, 
it  will  clearly  result  that  arms,  and  arms  alone,  must 
decide  the  question  ;  and  in  that  case  I  advise  you 
that  we  accept  the  war  to  which,  with  so  much  in 
justice  on  your  part,  you  provoke  us,  and  that,  on 
our  part,  this  war  shall  be  conducted  conformably  to 
the  principles  established  by  the  most  civilized  na 
tions ;  that  is  to  say,  that  the  law  of  nations  and  of 
war  shall  be  the  guide  of  my  operations,  trusting 
that  on  your  part  the  same  will  be  observed.  With 
this  view,  I  tender  you  the  consideration  due  your 
person  and  respectable  office." 

A  part  of  General  Taylor's  reply  has  been  used 
in  another  connection.  He  further  spoke,  in  his 
rejoinder,  of  our  Government's  desire  for  a  peaceful 
settlement,  and  of  the  repudiated  United  States  En 
voy  to  the  City  of  Mexico  ;  of  his  own  army's  care 
fully  abstaining  from  any  acts  of  hostility,  and  of  his 


ADVANCE    TO    THE    RIO    GRANDE. 


99 


hitherto  adhering  to  "  the  plain  dictates  of  justice  and 
of  humanity."  He  adds  :  "  The  instructions  under 
which  I  am  acting  will  not  permit  me  to  retrograde 
from  the  position  I  now  occupy.  In  view  of  the 
relations  between  our  respective  Governments,  I  re 
gret  the  alternative  which  you  offer;  but,  at  the 
same  time,  wish  it  understood  that  I  shall  by  no 
means  avoid  such  alternative,  leaving  the  responsi 
bility  with  those  who  rashly  commence  hostilities." 
Thus  plainly  did  General  Pedro  de  Ampudia  lay 
down  the  gauge  of  battle,  and  as  plainly  and  for 
mally  did  General  Taylor  take  up  the  same. 

General  Ampudia  had  the  chief  command  of  the 
Mexicans  near  the  Rio  Grande  but  a  few  days.  Of 
course,  General  Taylor  now  apprehended  a  speedy 
attack.  He  strengthened  his  fort ;  he  watched  the 
river-crossings;  and,  on  hearing  of  the  approach  of 
a  Mexican  vessel  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  with  sup 
plies  for  Ampudia,  he  at  once  established  a  blockade, 
the  revenue  cutter  and  the  steamer  Lawrence  hold 
ing  the  entrance  to  the  Rio  Grande.  Against  this 
blockading  Ampudia  was,  April  igth,  loud  in  his  pro 
testation.  He  says  to  General  Taylor :  "  You  have 
taken  possession  of  these  provisions  by  force,  and 
against  the  will  of  the  proprietors  (one  a  Spaniard 
and  the  other  an  Englishman).  .  .  .  Nothing  can 
have  authorized  you  in  such  a  course.  The  com 
merce  of  nations  is  not  suspended  or  interrupted, 
except  in  consequence  of  a  solemn  declaration  of 
blockade,  communicated  and  established  in  form 
prescribed  by  international  law,  etc.  ..  .  ."  He  com 
plained  also  that  two  Mexican  citizens  making  their 
way  down  the  river  were  fired  upon  and  detained. 

In  his  reply  General  Taylor  showed  clearly  enough 


100  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

that  he  and  his  army  had  been  treated  as  an  enemy 
ever  since  he  had  crossed  the  Colorado  ;  that  the 
alternative  of  war  had  been  given  by  General  Am- 
pudia  himself  and  accepted — the  blockade  was  "a 
proceeding  perfectly  consonant  with  the  state  of 
war  so  often  (by  the  Mexicans)  already  declared  to 
exist."  He  referred  also  to  the  killing  of  Colonel 
Trueman  Cross,  the  chief  quartermaster  of  his  army, 
a  few  days  before  by  the  rancheros.  He,  of  course, 
detained  two  Mexican  messengers  sent  to  his  [Am- 
pudia's]  vessels  with  information. 

The  dignified  style  of  General  Taylor  is  manifest 
in  the  closing  of  his  message  to  this  Mexican  officer, 
who,  notwithstanding  former  courtesy  and  ample 
promise,  yet,  in  his  great  vexation  at  being  outgen 
eraled  by  the  quasi-blockade,  once  or  twice  used  the 
harshest  terms  in  his  correspondence.  General  Tay 
lor  remarked :  "  In  conclusion,  I  take  leave  to  state 
that  I  consider  the  tone  of  your  communication 
highly  exceptionable  where  you  stigmatize  the 
movement  of  the  army  under  my  orders  as  *  marked 
with  the  seal  of  universal  reprobation.'  You  must 
be  aware  that  such  language  is  not  respectful  in 
itself,  either  to  me  or  my  Government ;  and  while  I 
observe  in  my  own  correspondence  the  courtesy  due 
to  your  high  position,  and  to  the  magnitude  of  the 
interests  with  which  we  are  respectively  charged,  I 
shall  expect  the  same  in  return."  A  few  days  after 
this  contretemps  General  Arista  arrived  (April  24, 
1846)  at  Matamoras  and  took  the  supreme  command 
of  the  Mexican  army,  Division  of  the  North. 

We  pause  in  the  chronological  order  of  this  narra 
tive  to  speak  a  word  concerning  Colonel  Cross,  prob 
ably  the  first  victim  of  the  Mexican  War.  On  April 


ADVANCE    TO   THE    RIO   GRANDE.  iOI 

9th — that  is,  twenty  days  after  the  army  encamped 
opposite  Matamoras — Colonel  Trueman  Cross,  the 
assistant  quartermaster-general,  with  his  son,  yet  but 
a  lad,  took  a  ride  beyond  the  limits  of  the  camp.  The 
little  lad,  probably  being  weary  from  too  much  recon 
noitring,  after  a  time  made  for  the  camp,  coming  in 
without  Colonel  Cross.  When  much  time  had  elapsed 
and  the  colonel  did  not  return,  the  trails  were  fol 
lowed,  the  bushes  and  swamps  and  thickets  were 
searched  far  and  wide.  But,  as  he  could  not  be 
found,  the  notion  at  last  prevailed  that  he,  like  the 
two  imprisoned  dragoons,  which  General  Mejia  after 
ward  gave  up,  had  been  captured.  The  Mexican 
general,  Ampudia,  was  corresponded  with,  but  all  in 
vain.  As  some  officers  had  surmised,  at  the  end  of 
two  weeks  from  his  disappearance  it  was  made  ap 
parent  that  the  cruel  rancheros  had  murdered  and 
robbed  him  not  long  after  he  had  parted  with  his 
child.  His  mutilated  remains,  found  among  the 
chaparral,  were  brought  in  and  buried  with  the  hon 
ors  of  war  due  to  his  rank.  General  Taylor's  order 
for  interment  speaks  feelingly  :  "  The  high  rank  of 
the  deceased,  and  the  ability  and  energy  which  he 
carried  into  the  discharge  of  important  duties  of  his 
office,  will  cause  his  loss  to  be  seriously  felt  in  the 
service,  while  the  untoward  circumstances  of  his  de 
mise  will  render  it  peculiarly  affecting  to  his  family 
and  personal  friends.'* 

Colonel  Cross  was  the  first  sacrifice  that  General 
Taylor  had  to  suffer;  the  second  was  of  a  piece  with 
the  first.  Lieutenant  Theodoric  Henry  Porter,  of 
the  Fourth  Infantry,  had  been  sent  out  with  a  de 
tachment  of  twelve  men  to  make  a  reconnoissance — 
an  entire  regiment  was  kept  at  the  time  picketing 


102  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

the  left  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande  up  and  down  a  mile 
or  more  each  way.  A  party  of  Mexicans,  probably 
those  same  rancheros  (Mexican  Cossacks),  during 
the  third  day  of  his  scout  met  him  and  attacked  ;  the 
lieutenant  and  three  men  were  undoubtedly  killed; 
the  remainder  of  his  detachment  succeeded  in  reach 
ing  the  army.  Neither  Lieutenant  Porter  nor  the 
others  missing  could  ever  be  found,  though  the 
vicinity  of  the  encounter  was  visited  in  force  the 
next  day. 

It  is  now  easy  to  conceive  the  situation  of  affairs 
when  General  Arista  had  brought  up  his  re-enforce 
ments  to  Matamoras.  He  probably  had,  of  all  arms, 
a  little  upward  of  six  thousand  effectives.  After  the 
briefest  study  of  the  situation  he  resolved  to  take 
the  offensive.  His  plan  was  to  feign  a  crossing  of 
the  Rio  Grande  above  General  Taylor's  camp  and 
works,  but  to  make  the  principal  crossing  below, 
throw  his  main  force  upon  Taylor's  line  of  supply, 
stand  on  the  defensive,  if  possible,  against  Taylor 
himself  till  he  had  broken  the  blockade  and  capt 
ured  Point  Isabel,  and  then  exert  all  his  strength  to 
defeat,  destroy,  or  capture  the  entire  American  force. 

The  intention  of  Arista  to  cross  was  quickly 
known  to  General  Taylor.  On  the  day  after  Arista 
took  command,  Captain  Seth  B.  Thornton,  of  the 
dragoons,  was  sent  by  Taylor  with  a  squadron  to  re- 
connoiter  the  river  above,  and  Captain  Croghan  Ker, 
with  another  squadron,  below.  A  Mexican  prisoner 
from  Matamoras  was  taken  by  Thornton  as  a  guide. 
General  Torrejon  watched  Thornton's  squadron  of 
sixty  souls  as  it  worked  its  way  westerly  through  the 
chaparral.  About  twenty-five  or  twenty-six  miles 
from  camp  the  Mexican  commander,  with  ten  times 


ADVANCE    TO    THE    RIO    GRANDE. 


103 


the  number  of  Thornton's  party,  having  already 
crossed  the  Rio  Grande,  sprung  his  ambush  and  suc 
ceeded  in  bringing  the  dragoons  to  bay,  though 
Captain  Thornton  himself  on  his  horse  leaped  a 
hindering  barricade,  and  might  have  escaped  but 
for  a  subsequent  untimely  fall  of  his  horse. 

Lieutenant  George  T.  Mason  was  killed  in  the 
affair  and  nine  dragoons  were  slain.  The  remainder, 
including  Captains  Thornton  and  Hardee,  and  Lieu 
tenant  Kane,  surrendered  to  General  Torrejon  as 
prisoners  of  war.  Captain  Ker  was  more  wary  than 
his  comrades,  or  rather,  perhaps,  the  main  crossing 
which  he  discovered  was  less  developed.  He  at  least 
found  no  considerable  enemy  north  of  the  river,  and 
returned  with  his  report.  An  affair  timed  like  that 
of  Thornton's  squadron  is  very  depressing  to  a  com 
mander.  One  can  sympathize  with  those  blunt 
words  of  General  Taylor  as  he  finished  up  his  budget 
of  dispatches:  "P.  S. — Since  writing  the  above  an 
engagement  has  taken  place  between  a  detachment 
of  our  cavalry  and  the  Mexicans,  in  which  we  are 
worsted.  So  the  war  has  actually  commenced  and 
the  hardest  must  fend  off." 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

PALO    ALTO. 

The  defense  of  Fort  Brown — Its  garrison — The  move  to  Point 
Isabel — Arista's  dispositions — He  takes  the  offensive — Tay 
lor's  work  at  Point  Isabel — His  march — His  meeting  Arista 
in  battle — The  lines  of  both — The  different  attacks  and  how 
met — The  end  of  the  day — The  council — The  results  of  the 
day. 

AFTER  putting  Fort  Brown  in  as  good  a  state  of 
defense  as  possible  and  manning  it  with  Captain 
Allen  Lowd's  and  Lieutenant  Braxton  Bragg's  bat 
teries  of  artillery  and  the  Seventh  Infantry,  six  hun 
dred  strong,  General  Taylor  immediately  made  an 
excellent  strategic  movement  with  his  main  body. 
To  prevent  the  possibility  of  being  cut  off  from  his 
small  reserve,  then  at  Point  Isabel,  and  from  what 
was  more  important,  his  safe  depot  of  supplies,  he 
concluded  to  drop  back  eastward  with  his  main  force 
to  that  point.  He  knew  very  well  that  General  Arista, 
who  was  crossing  the  Rio  Grande  in  force,  would  re 
gard  his  movement  as  a  retreat,  and  that  he  [Arista] 
would  endeavor  first  to  clear  up  Fort  Brown.  Tay 
lor  doubtless  hoped  that  his  enemy  would  meet  at 
the  hands  of  the  commander  of  the  new  fortress  a 
determined,  persistent  resistance,  so  that  whenever 
General  Taylor  felt  ready  he  could  turn  upon  Arista, 
and  fall  upon  his  rear  unless  Arista  should  divide  his 


PALO   ALTO.  IO5 

force,  leaving  a  part  to  deal  with  Fort  Brown  while 
bringing  the  remainder  to  encounter  him.  This  last 
is  precisely  what  the  Mexican  general  did. 

Again,  General  Taylor  had  called  upon  the  Presi 
dent  for  re-enforcements,  and  was,  though  without 
much  hope,  looking  for  them.  He  knew  that  his 
enemy  had  in  the  neighborhood  of  two  to  one  against 
him,  and  Taylor's  re-enforcements  would  come  by 
water  to  Point  Isabel.  Strategically  the  movement, 
in  retreat,  though  it  gave  a  sudden  joyous  impulse 
to  the  enemy  with  false  hopes,  was,  in  fact,  a  wise 
one.  At  the  end  of  five  days  the  Mexicans  were  still 
thundering  away  against  the  beleaguered  fortress. 
No  doubt,  in  spite  of  his  sturdiness,  General  Taylor 
could  not  help  being  very  solicitous. 

He  remained  at  Point  Isabel  long  enough  to  re 
arrange  the  defense  there,  accumulate  supplies,  and 
prepare  a  train  for  his  sub-depot  at  the  front.  On 
the  evening  of  May  7  he  started  out  with  his  little 
army,  about  fhree  thousand  strong,  escorting  at  least 
three  hundred  wagons.  One  curious  and  most  useful 
section  of  his  column  when  on  the  road  appeared 
in  ten  yoke  of  oxen  drawing  siege  carriages,  upon 
which  were  mounted  two  eighteen-pounders.*  True 
enough,  he  had  but  a  small  force ;  besides  his  bat 
teries  and  footmen,  only  a  little  over  two  hundred 
cavalrymen  to  clear  his  front  and  guard  his  flanks, 
yet  there  was  a  sprinkling  of  artillery  and  his  four 
regiments  of  superb  infantry ;  and  though  the  offi 
cers  were  for  the  most  part  of  junior  rank,  yet  it 
was  the  material  from  which  first-class  commanders 
always  spring. 

*  The  remainder  of  Taylor's  artillery  was,  fortunately,  fairly 
supplied  with  good  American  horses. 


I06  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Colonel  David  E.  Twiggs  was  designated  to  com 
mand  the  right  and  Colonel  William  G.  Belknap  the 
left  wing.  The  dashing  Captain  Charles  A.  May  was 
the  senior  officer  on  duty  with  the  two  squadrons  of 
dragoons.  Ringgold's  and  Duncan's  batteries  of 
light  artillery,  accompanied  by  the  four  regiments  of 
infantry,  lengthened  out  the  column.  Small  as  this 
diminutive  army  appeared,  yet,  considering  its  dis 
cipline  and  drill,  the  courage  and  ability  of  its  sev 
eral  commanders,  and,  in  fact,  the  pluck  and  energy 
of  all  its  commissioned  officers,  never  forgetting  the 
wariness,  watchfulness,  and  unflinching  character  of 
its  senior  commander,  might  well  make  an  army  even 
better  organized  or  larger  than  that  of  the  Mexican 
general,  Arista,  anxious  for  its  safety. 

Behold  this  little  force  as  it  stretched  itself  upon 
the  road  from  Point  Isabel  toward  Matamoras  !  How 
fearless;  how  cheery;  how  confident !  When  Taylor 
had  gone  perhaps  eight  miles,  he  bivouacked  for 
the  night.  At  dawn  of  May  8  the  column  moved 
out  of  camp  and  pursued  its  steady  tramp  till  about 
mid-day.  While  he  was  considering  the  subject  of  a 
noon  rest,  some  scouts  discovered  the  Mexicans  ap 
parently  in  force  along  the  line  of  his  horizon  south 
ward.  This  news  gave  only  animation  to  General 
Taylor  himself,  and  an  instant  hope  that  he  might 
there  bring  his  enemy  to  battle.  The  troops,  soon 
partaking  of  his  feeling,  forgot  their  weariness  and 
pressed  forward  more  rapidly. 

The  moment  it  was  plain  that  Arista  had  halted 
and  was  forming  a  battle  line,  General  Taylor  also 
checked  his  advance  and  brought  up  his  main  body 
as  rapidly  as  possible.  There  was  a  small  lake  or 
water-hole  near  the  road  on  which  the  American 


PALO   ALTO. 

troops  were  marching.  Near  here  the  American  chief 
gathered  his  command  into  masses,  giving  them  an 
hour's  rest.  It  is  a  matter  of  no  little  interest  to 
observe  how  General  Taylor  assured  himself  of  the 
position,  the  distribution,  and  the  apparent  intention 
of  the  Mexican  forces. 

In  those  days  the  Topographical  Engineers  still 
had  their  comparatively  independent  existence.  Lieu 
tenant  Jacob  E.  Blake,  of  that  corps,  approached  the 
general  and  offered  his  services  to  reconnoiter. 
With  permission  he  rode  out  boldly  to  points  within 
two  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy's  position  and  along 
his  front.  His  careful  observation  from  point  to 
point  found  the  enemy's  left  resting  against  a  swamp 
large  and  impassable,  near  which  were  clumps  of 
chaparral.  In  the  chaparral  Arista  had  placed  a 
considerable  body  of  cavalry.  Lieutenant  Blake 
found  at  least  two  batteries  of  artillery  on  the  right 
of  the  cavalry  or  in  the  intervals  of  the  line.  The 
enemy's  infantry  was  at  the  time  held  in  a  line 
of  masses,  with  still  another  column  or  mass  of  cav 
alry,  probably  one  thousand  strong,  guarding  the 
extreme  right  flank.  Near  this  flank  was  a  gentle 
rise  in  the  prairie  that  made  it  look  like  a  hill  or 
knoll,  covered  with  the  usual  growth  of  small  trees 
which  we  find  all  along  the  sea  -  coast  of  the 
South.* 

Notwithstanding  the  impassable  nature  of  the 
marshy  places,  General  Taylor,  noticing  Arista's  ex 
cess  of  cavalry  on  his  left,  at  once  considered  this 

*  The  spring  of  1846  was  unusual  for  its  rains  in  the  Rio 
Grande  Valley,  and  the  small  swales  or  resacas  and  depressions  of 
the  prairie  were  full  of  water. 


108  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

portion  of  the  enemy's  line  to  be  a  weak  one,  so  he 
arranged  his  own  lines  accordingly,  putting  great 
strength  into  his  own  right  flank.  He  sought  no  spe 
cial  covering  for  his  men,  as  he  expected — let  the  cost 
be  what  it  might — to  take  a  prompt  offensive.  He 
had  Colonel  Twiggs  arrange  the  right  wing  as  fol 
lows  :  The  Fifth  Infantry  and  Ringgold's  artillery  on 
the  right  of  the  road  extending  somewhat  beyond  the 
enemy's  flank,  with  room  enough  promptly  to  form 
a  line  of  battle;  then  the  two  eighteen-pounders, 
under  Lieutenant  William  H.  Churchill,  substantially 
following  the  road  supported  by  the  Third  Infantry, 
Captain  Lewis  N.  Morris.  Next  to  the  Third,  left 
ward,  came  the  Fourth  Infantry,  Major  George  W. 
Allen.  One  squadron  of  dragoons,  under  Captain 
May,  watched  the  right,  while  the  other  squadron, 
under  Captain  Croghan  Ker,  guarded  the  trains  that 
had  come  up  and  been  parked  near  the  water.  The 
left  wing,  Belknap's,  had  for  its  right,  first,  a  battalion 
of  artillery  acting  as  infantry  near  the  center  of  the 
line,  under  Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thomas  Childs ; 
next,  leftward,  Duncan's  light  battery ;  and  then, 
opposite  the  enemy's  extreme  right,  the  Eighth  In 
fantry,  commanded  by  CaptainWilliam  R.  Montgom 
ery.  Captain  Ker,  of  the  dragoons,  seems  to  have 
had  a  double  office  during  this  memorable  day,  not 
only  covering  the  train,  but  having  his  eye  constantly 
upon  the  left  flank  of  the  whole  American  line,  and 
watching  against  any  possible  movement  of  the 
enemy's  cavalry  in  that  direction. 

Such  are  the  positions  of  the  two  forces  so  soon 
to  be  engaged  in  battle  at  Palo  Alto. 

General  Taylor's  own  description  of  the  combat 
itself,  which  has  considerable  detail,  coming  from 


PALO   ALTO. 


I09 


one  who  saw  the  battle  with  all  the  intense  emphasis 
of  such  an  occasion,  is  better  than  any  other  account 
of  the  event.  He  says,  speaking  of  the  enemy's  bat 
teries  between  Arista's  cavalry  and  infantry  :  "  These 
batteries  were  opened  upon  us,  when  I  ordered  the 
columns  halted  and  deployed  into  line,  and  the  fire 
to  be  returned  by  all  our  artillery.  The  Eighth  In 
fantry,  on  our  extreme  left,  was  thrown  back  to 
secure  the  flank.  The  first  fires  of  the  enemy  did 
but  little  execution,  while  our  eighteen-pounders 
and  Major  Ringgold's  artillery  soon  dispersed  the 
cavalry  which  formed  his  [Arista's]  left.  Captain 
Duncan's  battery,  thrown  forward  in  advance  of 
the  line,  was  doing  good  execution  at  this  time. 
Captain  May's  squadron  was  now  detached  to  sup 
port  that  battery  and  the  left  of  our  position."  This 
movement  took  all  the  cavalry  for  Taylor's  left 
and  rear.  He  continues :  "  The  Mexican  cavalry, 
with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  were  now  reported 
to  be  moving  through  the  chaparral  to  our  right  to 
threaten  that  flank,  or  make  a  demonstration  against 
the  train.  The  Fifth  Infantry  was  immediately  de 
tached  to  check  this  movement,  and,  supported  by 
Lieutenant  Ridgely,  with  a  section  of  Major  Ring- 
gold's  battery  and  Captain  Walker's  company  of 
volunteers,  effectually  repulsed  the  enemy,  the  Fifth 
Infantry  repelling  a  charge  of  lancers  by  promptly 
forming,  like  Wellington's  regiments  at  Waterloo,  the 
moving  square,  and,  not  only  firing,  but  using  the 
bayonet  along  the  threatened  fronts,  and  the  artil 
lery  doing  great  execution  in  their  ranks.  The  Third 
Infantry  was  now  detached  to  the  right  as  a  still 
further  security  to  that  flank  yet  threatened  by  the 
enemy.  Major  Ringgold,  with  the  remaining  section, 


1 10  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

kept  up  his  fire  from  an  advanced  position  and  was 
supported  by  the  Fourth  Infantry." 

It  is  presumed  that  Ringgold  saw  better  ground 
before  him,  for,  after  leaving  Ridgely,  he  pushed 
boldly  ahead  till  his  shots  would  tell  and  then  fired 
rapidly.  "  The  grass  of  the  prairie  had  been  acci 
dentally  fired  by  our  artillery,  and  the  volumes  of 
smoke  now  partially  concealed  the  armies  from  each 
other.  As  the  enemy's  left  (near  the  marshy  swale) 
had  evidently  been  driven  back,  and  left  the  road 
free,  the  cannonade  having  been  suspended,  I  ordered 
forward  the  eighteen-pounders  on  the  road  nearly  to 
the  position  first  occupied  by  the  Mexican  cavalry, 
and  caused  the  First  brigade  to  take  up  a  new  posi 
tion  still,  on  the  left  of  the  eighteen-pounder  battery. 
The  Fifth  was  advanced  from  its  former  position, 
and  it  occupied  a  point  on  the  extreme  right  of  the 
new  line.  The  enemy  made  a  change  of  position 
corresponding  to  our  own,  and  after  a  suspension  of 
nearly  an  hour  the  action  was  resumed." 

This  action,  from  the  new  line,  is  like  another  bat 
tle  :  "  The  fire  of  artillery  was  now  most  destructive. 
Openings  were  constantly  made  through  the  enemy's 
ranks  by  our  fire,  and  the  constancy  with  which  the 
Mexican  infantry  sustained  severe  cannonade  was  a 
theme  of  universal  remark  and  admiration.  Captain 
May's  squadron  was  detached  to  make  a  demonstra 
tion  on  the  left  of  the  enemy's  position,  and  suffered 
severely  from  the  fire  of  artillery  to  which  it  was  for 
some  time  exposed. 

"  The  Fourth  Infantry,  which  had  been  ordered 
to  support  the  eighteen-pounder  battery,  was  exposed 
to  a  most  galling  fire  of  artillery,  by  which  several 
men  were  killed,  and  Captain  Page  dangerously 


PALO   ALTO.  H! 

wounded.  The  enemy's  fire  was  directed  against 
our  eighteen-pounder  battery,  and  the  guns  under 
Major  Ringgold  in  its  vicinity.  The  major  himself, 
while  coolly  directing  the  fire  of  his  pieces,  was 
struck  by  a  cannon-ball  and  mortally  wounded. 

"  Meanwhile  the  battalion  of  artillery  (used  as 
infantry),  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Childs,  had  been 
brought  up  to  support  the  artillery  on  our  right.  A 
strong  demonstration  of  cavalry  was  now  made  by 
the  enemy  against  this  part  of  our  line  and  the 
(enemy's)  column  continued  to  advance  under 
(against)  a  severe  fire  from  the  eighteen-pounders. 
The  battalion  was  instantly  formed  in  square,  and 
held  ready  to  receive  the  charge  of  cavalry  ;  but 
when  the  advancing  squadrons  were  within  close 
range  a  deadly  fire  of  canister  from  the  eighteen- 
pounders  dispersed  them.  A  brisk  fire  of  small  arms 
was  now  opened  upon  the  square,  by  which  one 
officer,  Lieutenant  Luther,  Second  Artillery,  was 
slightly  wounded  ;  but  a  well-directed  volley  from  the 
front  of  the  square  silenced  all  further  firing  from 
the  enemy  in  this  quarter.  It  was  now  nearly  dark, 
and  the  action  was  closed  on  the  right  of  our  line, 
the  enemy  having  been  completely  driven  back  from 
his  position,  and  failed  in  every  attempt  against  our 
line. 

"  While  the  above  was  going  on  on  our  right,  and 
under  my  own  eye,  the  enemy  had  made  a  serious 
attempt  against  the  left  of  our  line.  Captain  Dun 
can  instantly  perceived  the  movement,  and,  by  the 
bold  and  brilliant  manoeuvring  of  his  battery,  com 
pletely  repulsed  several  successive  efforts  of  the  ene 
my  to  advance  in  force  upon  our  left  flank.  Sup 
ported  in  succession  by  the  Eighth  Infantry  and 


112  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Captain  Ker's  squadron  of  dragoons,  he  gallantly 
held  the  enemy  at  bay,  and  finally  drove  him,  with 
immense  loss,  from  the  field.  The  action  here  and 
upon  the  whole  line  continued  until  dark,  when  the 
enemy  retired  into  the  chaparral  in  rear  of  his  posi 
tion.  Our  army  bivouacked  on  the  ground  it  occu 
pied.  During  the  afternoon  the  train  had  been 
moved  forward  about  half  a  mile,  and  was  parked  in 
rear  of  the  new  position. 

"  Our  loss  this  day  was  9  killed,  44  wounded,  and 
2  missing  " — certainly  a  remarkable  showing  for  a 
battle  so  long  continued.  "  Our  own  force  is  shown 
by  the  field  report  to  have  been  177  officers  and 
2,111  men — aggregate  2,288. 

"  The  Mexican  force,  according  to  the  statement 
of  their  own  officers,  was  not  less  than  6,000  regu 
lar  troops,  with  10  pieces  of  artillery,  and  probably 
exceeded  that  number;  the  irregular  force  not  known. 
Their  loss  was  not  less  than  200  killed  and  400 
wounded ;  probably  greater.  This  estimate  is  very 
moderate,  and  founded  upon  the  number  actually 
counted  upon  the  field  and  upon  the  reports  of  their 
own  officers. 

"As  already  reported  in  my  first  brief  dispatch, 
the  conduct  of  our  own  officers  and  men  was  every 
thing  that  could  be  desired.  Exposed  for  hours  to 
the  severest  trial  —  cannonade  of  artillery  —  our 
troops  displayed  a  coolness  and  constancy  which 
gave  me  throughout  the  assurance  of  victory." 

Strange  to  record,  the  Mexican  general,  Arista, 
at  the  close  of  this  affair  uses  these  words  in  his 
dispatches:  "And  night  coming  on,  the  battle  was 
concluded,  the  field  remaining  for  our  arms."  As 
Taylor's  men  slept  where  they  fought,  and  as  Arista 


PALO   ALTO.  113 

had  lost  his  first  position  altogether,  his  statement 
is  misleading.  Probably  a  part  did  remain  on  the 
last  bloody  field  till  the  dawn  of  the  pth  of  April. 
The  Americans,  though  worn  out  as  they  were  by 
the  prolonged  struggle,  never  for  an  instant  doubted 
their  victory.  The  historian,  J.  Reese  Fry,  condoling 
with  the  splendid  army  of  Arista,  philosophically  ac 
counts  for  his  surprising  defeat  as  follows :  "  The 
want  of  impetuous,  self-abandoning,  indomitable 
bravery  in  his  officers  affords  the  only  explanation. 
Their  men  sustained  the  destructive  volleys  of  our 
guns  with  noble  firmness,  and  had  they  been  led  on 
by  superiors  worthy  of  them,  they  might  have  more 
nearly  balanced  the  fortunes  of  the  day,  even  if  they 
had  failed  to  overpower  their  adversaries,  who  en 
tered  the  field  reckless  of  any  opposing  force,  and 
resolved  to  maintain  it  [the  field]  at  any  cost." 

This  last  clause  shows  that  General  Zachary 
Taylor  had  been  long  enough  with  his  little  army 
to  infuse  into  their  minds  and  hearts  his  own  strong, 
steady,  self-reliant,  unselfish  spirit.  True,  it  was 
not  a  great  battle,  but  it  was  a  great  beginning ;  and 
so  the  nation,  thrilled  with  the  news  of  this  first  vic 
tory,  greatly  applauded  General  Taylor  and  his  con 
quering  troops. 

Point  Isabel,  the  depot  and  place  of  departure  of 
General  Taylor  the  day  before  "  Palo  Alto,"  where 
he  connected  with  the  harbor  and  the  sea,  afforded 
a  quiet  offing  for  the  navy  and  the  supply  transports. 
The  highest  point  of  the  landing  had  been  crowned 
with  a  regular  bastioned  redoubt,  which  was  defended 
by  a  small  garrison ;  so  that  the  wounded  were  sent 
thither  at  once  to  a  safe,  well-supplied  hospital,  and 
also  crippled  wagons  and  carriages  to  the  temporary 


114  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

shops  for  repairs.  Meanwhile  busy  commissaries 
and  ordnance  men  were  from  there  hastening  for 
ward  food  and  ammunition,  preparatory  to  another 
trial  of  arms.  As  the  mind  rests  upon  the  unwonted 
boldness  of  Taylor's  movement  it  can  not  fail,  after 
looking  in  upon  the  charming  sheltered  nook  of 
Point  Isabel,  so  complete  a  citadel  of  refuge,  to  feel 
the  force  of  his  carefulnerss,  which  would  have  made 
of  even  a  defeat  to  himself  only  a  temporary  repulse. 
This  battle,  the  more  we  study  it,  appears  to 
have  been  mainly  a  battle  of  artillery.  In  this  arm, 
considering  the  fine  horses,  the  thorough  drill,  and 
the  quick  manoeuvring,  Taylor  was  superior  to  the 
Mexicans.  True,  the  eighteen-pounders,  as  with 
the  Mexican  artillery,  were  drawn  by  oxen,  but  in 
this  one  battery  the  range  of  the  guns  was  greater 
than  any  that  Arista  could  bring  against  them.  The 
prompt  and  successful  use  of  the  squares  indicates 
a  very  thorough  drill  on  the  part  of  the  infantry 
and  the  artillery  men  that  acted  as  infantry.  As 
General  Taylor  called  some  of  his  leading  officers 
into  council  the  following  morning,  we  have  a  record 
of  the  misgivings  and  fears  of  a  few  lest  the  enemy 
might  take  the  offensive.  They  gave  the  usual  con 
servative  advice.  But  the  old  general,  having  heard 
them  courteously,  spoke  but  a  single  sentence  :  "  Go 
to  your  respective  commands ;  we  move  forward  in 
thirty  minutes." 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Resaca  de  la  Palma — The  appearance  of  the  region — Taylor's 
anxiety  for  Fort  Brown — Details  of  the  decisive  battle — 
Artillery  resistance — May's  celebrated  charge — General  Tay 
lor's  story  of  the  conflict — The  after-battle — His  tenderness 
toward  the  wounded — A  brief  summary — Texas  secured  to 
the  Rio  Grande. 

LIKE  the  soldiers  of  i86i,at  Fair  Oaks,  the  night 
of  the  8th  of  April,  1846,  the  soldiers  of  both  armies 
lay  down  not  far  apart,  and  there  was  doubtless  a 
determination  on  both  sides,  after  a  brief  respite,  to 
renew  the  struggle  on  the  next,  the  morning  of  the 
9th.  There  was  everywhere  an  apparent  readiness. 
The  cavalrymen's  horses  were  unsaddled,  being  held 
by  the  lariats  while  they  fed.  Certainly  the  guards 
were  over-weary ;  but  the  fear  of  a  possible  night- 
alarm  had  kept  the  numerous  sentinels  on  the  alert. 
Yet  the  bulk  of  Taylor's  small  army  slept  soundly 
after  Palo  Alto,  and,  on  awaking,  the  soldiers  showed 
no  reluctance  at  the  prospect  of  an  advance. 

It  was  just  the  time  of  year  for  the  finest  weather, 
and  that  day,  April  pth,  the  sun  rose  without  a  cloud. 
The  officers  saw  that  men  and  animals  had  their 
morning  meal.  There  was  no  hurry,  no  nervous, 
spasmodic  haste  in  the  United  States  army.  When 
certain  officers  around  him  would  have  him  wait  for 
re-enforcements,  General  Taylor,  thinking  of  his  faith- 


H6  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

ful  commander,  Captain  Brown,  with  his  little  garri 
son  so  long  besieged  opposite  Matamoras,  and  of  the 
risk  to  his  own  army  of  wasting  even  one  day  in  that 
exposed  situation,  declared  his  resolve  with  empha 
sis  :  "  I  will  be  at  Fort  Brown  to-night  if  I  live !  " 
Then  slowly  the  general  began  his  advance  from  his 
right,  along  and  near  the  road.  At  the  marshy  swale 
and  neighboring  thickets,  before  described,  he  halted, 
as  he  saw  a  few  hostiles  in  the  distance,  and  de 
ployed  the  usual  line  of  skirmishers.  He  sent  out 
Ker's  squadron  to  reconnoiter,  for  only  a  few  of  the 
enemy's  cavalry  were  then  in  view,  and  those  in  the 
edge  of  an  extensive  chaparral,  nearly  half  a  mile 
away  in  a  southwesterly  direction. 

With  some  difficulty  Captain  Ker,  supported  by 
the  steady  advance  of  some  other  chosen  troops  un 
der  Captain  George  A.  McCall,  came  near  enough  to 
discover  Arista's  new  position.  He  and  McCall  sent 
back  three  dragoons,  and  they  reported  to  General 
Taylor  that  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  dislodge  the 
enemy,  for  Arista  was  holding  the  "Palm  Ravine "- 
i.  e.,  Resaca  de  la  Palma — and  his  artillery  swept  the 
road. 

The  whole  sweep  of  country  in  that  direction  is  a 
slightly  rolling,  comparatively  level  tract.  The  high 
ground  of  Palo  Alto,  where  Arista  had  rested  his 
right  flank,  was  a  long  knoll  or  slight  elevation  of 
perhaps  twenty  or  thirty  feet  at  the  highest  points. 
The  chaparral,  clumps  of  scrub  trees,  and  bunches  of 
thickets,  mingled  here  and  there  with  clusters  of  the 
prickly  pear,  the  tops  of  the  trees  high  enough  and 
dense  enough  to  conceal  fairly  well  even  the  mount 
ed  men,  was,  on  the  first  field,  only  in  groves  and 
scattered  groupings.  When  General  Taylor  had 


Field  covered  with  high  grass,  called  Z&cahistle .  B,  Fourth  Regiment,  a  battalion  ;  C,  Tenth  Reg 
Regiment,  a  battalion  ;  E,  First  Regiment,  a  battalion  ;  f\  Battalion  guarding  coast  of  Tampico  ;  G,  Se 
talion  ;  //,  Battalion  of  Sappers ;  £,  Eighth  Regiment,  cavalry,  two  squadrons  ;  c.  Seventh  Regiment,  c 
io-ht  Regiment,  cavalry,  two  squadrons  ;  /,  Guards,  one  squadron  ;  K,  low  swamps  ;  ^,  Re-enforcerm 

s         i        ito  _r.i    _    __    _ll 7       r>     il-;_5_.     •    •  •  '     *  .T     *«'«>».i  •-•r          ^     •  .  v  . 


second  charge  of  the  cavalry  ;  A,  J3,  third  position,  change  of  front ;  6",  fifth  position,  firing  upon  the 
cavalry  reformed  when  it  rallied  ;  M,  march  to  the  camp  the  night  of  the  8th.  Americans :  L,  Inf: 
F,  F,  line  burned  by  the  Americans  ;  Z,  Z,  third  position,  second  line  of  battle  ;  F,  cavalry,  first  positic 


cavalry  reformed  whe 
K,  F,  line  burned  by  t 
tion  ;  /f,  small  ravine. 


PLAN   OF  THE 

BATTLE  OF  PALO  ALTO 

On  the  8th  of  May,  1846. 

SIGNS. 


^ 


1st  Position. 
Mexican  Infantry. 
Mexican  <'avalry. 

2nd  fruition. 
Mexican  Infantry, 
Mexican  Cavalry. 
A  battery. 

Two  pieces  of  artillery. 
Park  (amm'imitwn.) 
Hospital. 


Pbfitim. 

American  Infantry. 

American  Vavalry. 
2nd  Poxili  n. 
i     American  Infantry 

American  Cavalry. 
a.    A  battery. 

2  pieces  of  artillery. 
Q    Ammunition  park. 
:.-    Carriage  road. 
_    Line  indicating  movements. 


enth  Regiment,  a  battalion  ;  Z>,  Sixth 
:o^  G,  Second  Light  Regiment,  a  bat- 
giment,  cavalry,  three  squadrons  ;  </, 
mforcements  from  the  towns;  A,  0, 
ipon  the  enemy  ;  (7.  place  where  the 
.•  L,  Infantry  in  different  positions  ; 
•st  position  ;  W,  cavalry,  second  posi- 


RESACA   DE    LA   TALMA.  llj 

passed  the  marshy  swale  there  was  before  him  a 
stretch  of  open  prairie,  almost  treeless,  some  half 
mile  or  more  in  breadth;  then  began  what  he  called 
"the  forest,"  a  chaparral  growth  denser  than  such  as 
we  have  described,  a  few  miles  across,  upon  a  meas 
urably  rough,  sandy-bottom  terrain.  It  extended  up 
and  down  the  Resaca  for  some  miles. 

While  the  general  remained  halted,  Captains 
Mackall  and  Ker,  followed  by  Walker's  Texas  Rangers 
with  a  hundred  or  more  picked  men,  made  their  way 
cautiously  through  the  numerous  paths  and  along 
the  main  Matamoras  road,  running  southerly,  till 
they  came  to  the  edge  of  an  open  space.  The  first 
troops  that  appeared  in  sight  received  a  shot  from 
the  Mexican  battery  on  the  other  side  of  what  some 
called  "the  prairie." 

Conceive  of  this  "  prairie,"  a  small  opening  like  a 
forest-glade,  intersected  by  a  ravine  ten  or  twelve 
feet  in  depth  and  about  two  hundred  feet  wide,  at  an 
oblique  angle  to  the  main  avenue  of  approach,  which 
is,  here,  the  north  and  south  road.  The  forest  thicket, 
interrupted  by  the  small  "prairie,"  began  again  close 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  ravine.  The  cut  for  the 
wagon-road  through  the  banks  made  "  the  pass  '  of 
the  Resaca.  This  cross  ravine  was  long  enough  to 
enable  General  Arista  to  post  his  front  line  under 
good  cover.  It  was  a  good  position  for  a  small 
division  of  six  thousand  against  an  advancing  bri 
gade  of  less  than  three  thousand — a  natural  fort. 

General  Arista,  hardly  acknowledging  his  defeat 
of  the  previous  day,  and  much  chagrined  at  his  want 
of  success,  did  not  hasten  his  march  to  his  new 
ground.  By  ten  o'clock  he  had  made  the  five  inter 
vening  miles  and  planted  his  forces  with  great  care. 
9 


U8  'GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

Being  but  three  miles  from  the  crossing  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  near  Fort  Brown,  he  had  already  received 
sufficient  re-enforcements  to  replace  the  losses  at 
Palo  Alto,  and  so  had  for  the  coming  contest,  as  be 
fore,  about  six  thousand  men. 

He  arranged,  facing  northward  behind  the  edge 
of  the  ravine,  a  line  of  soldiers  covered  to  their 
breasts  when  standing  by  the  natural  rise  of  the 
ground  ;  this  line  consisted  of  the  Sixth  and  Tenth 
Regular  Infantry,  the  sappers  and  miners,  the  Second 
Light  Infantry,  and  the  First  Infantry  Regulars,  on 
his  right  of  the  road,  that  is,  eastward ;  then,  in 
echelon,  in  rear  of  the  ravine,  on  the  left  of  the 
road,  westward,  the  Second  Mexican  Infantry,  the 
Costa  Guards  and  the  Tampico  company,  and  the 
Fourth  Infantry  ;  still  farther  to  the  rear,  as  a  re 
serve,  or  prepared  to  cover  the  flanks  of  those  in 
front,  the  Presidentials  ;  extending  the  group,  the 
light  cavalry,  and  the  Seventh  and  Eighth  Regiments 
of  heavy  cavalry. 

For  the  artillery,  a  three-gun  battery  was  ar 
ranged  and  covered  with  light  epaulements  near  the 
southern  dcbouche  from  the  ravine,  and  so  placed  as 
to  sweep  the  road  of  approach  and  the  vicinity  with 
its  fire  ;  another  work,  with  one  cannon,  near  the 
middle  of  his  left  wing.  Two  other  batteries,  with 
two  guns  each,  were  so  located  as  to  bring  a  concen 
trated  fire  upon  any  column  emerging  upon  the  little 
prairie  beyond  them.  Arista  shielded  his  entire 
front  with  a  skirmish  line  of  his  sharp-shooters,  ex 
tending  them  into  the  thick  chaparral  to  the  right 
and  left  of  the  opening.  Surely  no  government  or 
critic  could  censure  these  dispositions  against  so 
small  odds  as  Taylor's  army. 


RESACA    DE    LA    PALMA.  I  ig 

Nothing  better  shows  the  strong  confidence  that 
General  Taylor  had  in  his  men,  himself,  and  in  the 
God  of  battles,  than  his  preliminary  work.  He  had, 
as  we  said,  sent  his  wounded  of  Palo  Alto  under 
escort  to  Point  Isabel  ;  he  then  had  detached  the 
artillery  battalion,  except  the  flank  companies,  to  re 
main  in  reserve  and  protect  his  trains  in  park  near 
the  late  battle-ground,  and  also  left  there  the  two 
eighteen-pounders  and  the  two  twelve-pounders 
which  had  not  yet  been  used.  Thus  depleted,  he  set 
forth  with  but  a  little  over  two  thousand  men,  hoping 
to  fight  another  battle,  and  one  on  which  hung  the 
fate  of  Fort  Brown  and  the  issue  of  the  campaign. 

Again  General  Taylor  may  tell  the  story.  He, 
a  few  days  after  the  affair,  wrote  :  '*  About  three 
o'clock  I  received  a  report  from  the  advance  (to 
wit :  the  light  companies  of  the  First  Brigade,  under 
Captain  Charles  F.  Smith,  and  some  other  companies 
of  select  infantry  with  Ker's  squadron  of  cavalry, 
all  commanded  by  Captain  McCall,  of  the  Fourth 
Infantry)  that  the  enemy  was  in  position  on  the 
road  with  at  least  two  pieces  of  artillery.  The  com 
mand  was  immediately  put  in  motion,  and  at  about 
four  o'clock  I  came  up  with  Captain  Mackall,  who  re 
ported  the  enemy  in  force  in  our  front,  occupying  a 
ravine  which  intersects  the  road  and  is  skirted  by 
thickets  of  dense  chaparral.  Ridgely's  battery 
(which  had  come  up  at  a  rapid  pace)  and  the  ad 
vance  under  Captain  Mackall  were  at  once  thrown 
forward  on  the  road  and  into  the  chaparral  on  either 
side,  while  the  Fifth  Infantry  and  one  wing  of  the 
Fourth  were  thrown  into  the  forest  on  the  left ;  and 
the  Third  (Infantry)  and  the  other  wing  of  the 
Fourth  on  the  right  of  the  road.  These  corps  were 


I20  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

employed  as  skirmishers  to  cover  the  battery  (Ridge- 
ly's)  and  to  engage  the  Mexican  infantry."  This 
was  equivalent  to  our  habit  in  later  years  of  doub 
ling  the  skirmish  line  and  pressing  forward. 

"Captain  Mackall's  command  became  at  once 
engaged  with  the  enemy,  while  our  light  artillery, 
though  in  a  very  exposed  position,  did  great  exe 
cution.  The  enemy  had  at  least  eight  pieces  of 
artillery,  and  maintained  an  incessant  fire  upon  our 
advance.  The  action  now  became  general;  and 
although  the  enemy's  infantry  gave  way  before  the 
steady  fire  and  resistless  progress  of  our  own,  yet 
his  artillery  was  still  in  position  to  check  our  advance, 
several  pieces  occupying  the  pass  across  the  ravine 
which  he  had  chosen  for  his  position. 

"  Perceiving  that  no  decisive  advantage  could  be 
gained  until  this  artillery  was  silenced,  I  ordered 
Captain  May  to  charge  the  batteries  with  his  squad 
ron  of  dragoons."  [Indeed,  it  was  a  hard  thing  to 
do  in  such  a  place.]  "  This  was  gallantly  and  ef 
fectually  executed  ;  the  enemy  was  driven  from  his 
guns,  and  General  La  Vega,  who  remained  alone  at 
one  of  the  batteries,  was  taken  prisoner.  The  squad 
ron,  which  suffered  much  in  this  charge,  not  being 
immediately  supported  by  infantry,  could  not  retain 
possession  of  the  artillery  taken,  but  it  was  com 
pletely  silenced. 

"  In  the  mean  time  the  Eighth  Infantry  had  been 
ordered  up  and  had  become  warmly  engaged  on  the 
right  of  the  road.  This  regiment  and  part  of  the 
Fifth  were  now  "  [following  up  May's  movement] 
"  ordered  to  charge  the  batteries,  which  was  hand 
somely  done,  and  the  enemy  driven  from  his  artillery 
and  (from)  his  position  on  the  left  (east)  of  the  road. 


RESACA   DE    LA   PALMA.  12\ 

"The  light  companies  of  the  First  Brigade  and 
the  Third  and  Fourth  Regiments  of  infantry  had  been 
deployed  on  the  right  of  the  road,  where  at  various 
points  they  became  briskly  engaged  with  the  enemy. 
A  small  party  under  Captain  Robert  C.  Buchanan 
and  Lieutenants  Wood  and  Hays,  Fourth  Infantry, 
composed  chiefly  of  men  of  that  regiment,  drove  the 
enemy  from  a  breastwork  which  he  occupied  (that 
one  farthest  from  the  road)  and  captured  a  piece  of 
artillery.  An  attempt  to  recover  this  piece  was  re 
pelled  by  Captain  Barbour,  Third  Infantry. 

"  The  enemy  was  at  last  completely  driven  from 
his  position  on  the  right  of  the  road  and  retreated 
precipitately,  leaving  baggage  of  every  description. 
The  Fourth  Infantry  took  possession  of  a  camp  where 
the  headquarters  of  the  general-in-chief  [Arista] 
were  established.  All  his  official  correspondence  was 
captured  at  this  place. 

"  The  (artillery)  battalion  was  now  ordered  up 
(from  the  park  of  wagons)  to  pursue  the  enemy ;  and 
this,  with  the  Third  Infantry,  Captain  Ker's  dragoons, 
and  Captain  Duncan's  battery,  followed  him  rapidly 
to  the  river,  making  a  number  of  prisoners.  Great 
numbers  of  the  enemy  were  drowned  in  attempting 
to  cross  the  river  near  the  town.  The  corps  last 
mentioned — i.  e.,  the  pursuing  force — encamped  near 
the  river  ;  the  remainder  of  the  army  on  the  field  of 
battle. 

"  The  actual  number  (of  the  aggregate,  2,222)  en 
gaged  with  the  enemy  did  not  exceed  1,700.  Our 
loss  was  three  officers  killed  and  twelve  wounded, 
thirty-six  men  killed  and  seventy-one  wounded. 
Among  the  officers  killed  I  have  to  regret  the  loss  of 
Lieutenant  Inge,  Second  Dragoons,  who  fell  at  the 


122  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

head  of  his  platoon  while  gallantly  charging  the  ene 
my's  battery  ;  of  Lieutenant  Cochrane,  of  the  Fourth 
Infantry,  and  Lieutenant  Chadbourn,  of  the  Eighth 
Infantry,  who  likewise  met  their  death  in  the  thickest 
of  the  fight." 

General  Taylor  mentions  as  wounded  Lieutenant- 
Colonels  Matthew  M.  Payne  and  James  S.  Mclntosh  ; 
Captains  A.  S.  Hooe  and  William  R.  Montgomery ; 
Lieutenants  Stephen  D.  Dobbins,  S.  H.  Fowler,  C. 
R.  Gates,  Charles  D.  Jordan,  Joseph  Seldon,  Robert 
P.  Maclay,  John  G.  Burbank,  and  Charles  F.  Morris. 
General  Taylor  adds  :  "  The  enemy's  loss  was  very 
great.  Nearly  two  hundred  of  his  dead  were  buried 
by  us  on  the  day  succeeding  the  battle.  His  loss  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  in  the  two  affairs  of  the 
8th  and  pth  (April),  is,  I  think,  moderately  estimated 
at  one  thousand  men." 

The  historian  (Fry)  has  given  a  vivid  picture  of 
the  after-battle  which  is  most  affecting  He  says  : 
"  If  the  carnage  among  the  Mexicans  on  the  8th 
(April)  excited  the  pity  even  of  their  enemies,  that 
of  the  pth  must  have  appealed  still  more  to  their 
sympathies.  The  evening  closed  on  hundreds  of 
them  wounded,  dying  and  dead,  upon  the  field  and 
on  the  road  to  the  river.  In  the  panic  of  flight,  self- 
preservation  was  the  single  thought  of  each  individ 
ual.  The  bleeding  and  the  exhausted  were  borne 
down  and  forsaken  by  the  sound  and  the  strong.  The 
parties  on  foot  were  trampled  by  the  cavalry;  and 
none  of  the  multitude  fleeing  from  the  foe  found  aid 
or  comfort  from  their  friends.  The  thickets  and 
the  hollows,  distant  from  the  scene  of  strife,  long 
afterward  told  the  story  of  many  a  wounded  soldier 
who  had  struggled  on  to  some  secluded  spot,  there 


RESACA    DE    LA   PALMA.  123 

to  linger,  to  thirst,  to  hunger,  to  faint,  to  bleed,  to 
perish,  alone  in  his  long  and  varied  agony." 

General  Taylor,  however,  after  his  own  hard  duty 
in  battle  had  been  done,  was  always  most  compas 
sionate.  He  made  no  distinction  of  friends  and  ene 
mies  in  his  provisions  for  the  wounded.  When  he 
found  himself  short  of  help,  he  sent  across  the  river 
for  Mexican  surgeons  to  come  to  the  relief  of  his 
own  weary  workers.  The  next  day,  the  loth  of 
April,  the  burial  parties  were  sent  out  to  gather  up 
those  who  had  been  slain  ;  friend  and  foe,  here  too, 
were  served  alike  and.  received  a  soldier's  burial. 
When  brought  together  they  all  received  "  the  honors 
of  war  "  before  being  finally  laid  to  rest. 

The  part  played  by  the  little  garrison  at  Fort 
Brown  has  already  been  alluded  to.  General  Tay 
lor's  anxiety  for  this  fortified  place  and  the  troops 
that  had  been  exposed  to  overwhelming  odds  against 
them  was  now  relieved.  Yet  his  brief  dispatch  con 
cerning  it  is  a  sad  one— indeed,  no  war  victory  is 
ever  cloudless.  He  wrote  at  ten  o'clock  on  the  night 
of  Resaca : 

"  It  affords  me  pleasure  to  report  that  the  field- 
work  opposite  Matamoros  had  sustained  itself  hand 
somely  during  a  cannonade  and  bombardment  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  hours.  But  the  pleasure  is  alloyed 
with  profound  regret  at  the  loss  of  its  heroic  and  im 
mediate  commander,  Major  Jacob  Brown,  who  died 
to-day  from  the  effects  of  a  shell.  His  loss  would 
be  a  severe  one  to  the  service  at  any  time,  but  to  the 
army  under  my  orders  it  is  deemed  irreparable." 

The  list  of  property  captured  exhibits  features  of 
General  Taylor's  great  victory.  Very  nearly  all  that 
had  been  brought  into  the  field  or  been  used  in  camp 


124  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

had  fallen  into  his  hands.  Plate  and  private  prop 
erty,  "  correspondence  of  their  general-in-chief,  the 
arms,  ammunition,  standards,  provisions,  pack-sad 
dles,  and  every  equipment  of  seven  thousand  men 
and  two  thousand  horses,"  excepting,  of  course,  what 
many  individuals  carried  off  upon  their  persons.  A 
defeat  and  a  panic  strip  the  Idser  of  nearly  all  that 
he  possesses. 

That  brief  campaign  had  done  a  great  work.  It 
had  cleared  Texas  forever  from  Mexican  control.  It 
had  established  the  Rio  Grande  as  the  permanent 
boundary  between  the  two  nations — the  United  States 
and  Mexico — and  it  had  gained  a  prestige  for  our 
arms  that  the  world  has  never  forgotten.  The  name 
of  Zachary  Taylor  at  once  became  national,  and  his 
indomitable  manhood  has  ever  since  strongly  influ 
enced  every  true  soldier  of  the  republic.  They 
called  him  "  Rough  and  Ready,"  and  thousands  of 
college  boys  translated  the  sobriquet  into  Latin,  and 
durus  et  semper  paratus  became  the  classic  motto  for 
many  a  class  signet  and  many  a  class  badge  through 
out  the  land. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Taylor's  endowment  —  Reports  —  Exchange  of  prisoners  —  The 
rancheros  again — Important  visit  to  Point  Isabel — Ringgold's 
and  Blake's  death — After-battle  shadows — Words  to  La  Vega — 
The  taking  of  Barita  and  Lower  Rio  Grande — Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Wilson's  expedition — Bridges  and  launches — Arista's 
ruse  de  guerre — Crossing  the  Rio  Grande  in  force — The 
drowning  of  Lieutenant  George  Stevens — Arista  in  full 
retreat — Arista's  report — Contrast  of  Arista  and  Taylor, 
their  equipoise  and  manners — Matamoros  in  1892 — Schools 
and  public  improvements  evincing  progress. 

To  carry  on  war  successfully  requires  strong 
qualities — physically,  mentally,  and  morally.  Our 
great  civil  war  demonstrated  this  fact  to  this  genera 
tion,  so  that  our  childhood  conceptions  of  a  great 
warrior  have  been  much  modified.  General  Taylor 
had,  indeed,  a  complete  endowment  in  the  requisite 
qualities,  and  such  an  endowment  rendered  him  inde 
fatigable.  There  was  rest  for  his  commanders  after 
an  unusual  fatigue ;  rest  for  his  soldiers  after  an 
arduous  march,  a  series  of  battles,  and  an  abundant 
triumph;  but  no  rest  for  himself.  Responsibility  to 
his  Government  and  to  God  pressed  him ;  possi 
bilities  for  his  adversaries'  recuperation  and  action 
crowded  his  thoughts  and  plans  for  the  present  and 
for  the  future  of  his  own  campaign.  These  would 
give  him  no  vacation.  Yet  his  physique  was  so  su 
perb  that  his  digestion  was  never  disturbed,  and  he 


126  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

slept  soundly  whenever  the  call  for  exceeding  watch 
fulness  was  over. 

The  next  day  after  Resaca  he  completed  his  re 
ports,  gathered  his  army  opposite  Matamoros,  buried 
the  dead,  and  provided  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 
On  May  nth  he  arranged  with  General  Arista  an  ex 
change  of  prisoners,  so  that  Captains  Thornton  and 
Hardee,  with  their  soldiers,  appeared  again  among 
their  comrades.  Though  there  is  occasional  com 
plaint,  as  we  have  noticed,  in  the  annals  concerning 
the  cruelty  of  the  rancheros  and  camp-followers,  who 
stripped  and  mutilated  the  victims  and  were  found 
killing  wounded  men  and  robbing  the  dead,  yet,  for 
humanity's  sake,  it  is  pleasant  to  listen  to  the  report 
of  our  prisoners  returning  from  Matamoros  :  "  They 
treated  us  with  courteous  attention  and  kindness 
during  our  captivity." 

Now,  having  put  everything  in  order  at  the  front, 
General  Taylor,  hearing  that  the  combined  military 
and  naval  force  at  his  principal  depot,  Point  Isabel, 
again  demanded  his  immediate  presence,  placed 
Colonel  Twiggs  in  command  of  his  field  army  and 
went  there  at  once.  His  letter,  dated  May  i2th,  at 
Point  Isabel,  Texas,  to  the  adjutant-general  of  the 
army,  is  full  of  interest : 

"  Sir :  I  am  making  a  hasty  visit  to  this  place  for 
the  purpose  of  having  an  interview  with  Commodore 
Conner,  whose  squadron  is  now  at  anchor  off  the 
harbor,  and  arranging  with  him  a  combined  move 
ment  up  the  river  (Rio  Grande).  The  Mexican  forces 
are  almost  disorganized,  and*  I  shall  lose  no  time  in 
investing  Matamoros  and  opening  the  navigation  of 
the  river. 

"  I  regret  to  report  that  Major  Ringgold  died  the 


OCCUPATION    OF    MATAMOROS. 


127 


morning  of  the  nth  inst.,  of  the  severe  wound  in  the 
action  of  Palo  Alto.  With  the  exception  of  Captain 
Page,  whose  wound  is  dangerous,  the  other  wounded 
officers  are  doing  well."  After  adding  Lieutenant 
Dobbin,  whose  name  by  some  accident  he  had  be 
fore  omitted,  to  his  list  of  wounded  officers,  he 
goes  on  to  say :  "  I  am  under  the  painful  necessity 
of  reporting  that  Lieutenant  Blake,  Topographical 
Engineers,  after  rendering  distinguished  services  on 
my  staff  during  the  affair  of  the  8th  inst.,  accidentally 
shot  himself  with  a  pistol  on  the  following  day,  and 
expired  before  night.  .  .  .  General  Vega  and  a  few 
other  officers  have  been  sent  to  New  Orleans,  hav 
ing  declined  a  parole,  and  will  be  reported  to  Major- 
General  Gaines.  I  am  not  conversant  with  the 
usages  of  war  in  such  cases,  and  beg  that  such  pro 
vision  be  made  for  these  prisoners  as  may  be  author 
ized  by  law.  Our  own  prisoners  have  been  treated 
with  great  kindness  by  the  Mexican  officers." 

The  letter  from  which  these  extracts  are  made 
betrays  the  shadows  of  the  severe  battles  through 
which  his  heroic  spirit  had  just  passed ;  but  there  is 
no  self-assertion — no  claim  even  to  personal  merit. 
It  is  the  expression  of  a  warm  and  tender  heart.  He 
thinks  of  the  seriously  wounded  and  of  the  dying; 
of  the  precious  dead;  of  his  enemy's  virtues  and  of 
his  prisoners'  comfort.  This  thoughtful  commander, 
like  King  David  of  old,  did  not  forget  those  who  had 
been  forced  to  remain  at  the  depot  of  supplies  at 
Point  Isabel.  He  named  that  fortified  place  "Fort 
Polk,"  to  honor  his  own  commander-in-chief.  He 
published  in  orders  his  great  satisfaction  with  the 
defense  and  protection  of  Point  Isabel.  "  To  Major 
John  Monroe,  the  commanding  officer ;  Captain  San- 


128  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

ders,  of  the  Engineers ;  Majors  Thomas  and  McRee, 
and  Captains  Sibley  and  Hill,  of  the  Quartermaster's 
Department ;  Captain  Ramsay,  of  the  Ordnance  ;  and 
Lieutenant  Montgomery,  of  the  Subsistence  Depart 
ments,  credit  is  especially  due  for  their  zeal  and 
activity."  He  then  thanks  the  citizen  volunteers, 
and  adds :  "  The  re-enforcements  from  the  brig 
Lawrence,  under  Lieutenant  Renshaw,  and  the 
large  force  of  seamen  and  marines  so  promptly  fur 
nished  by  the  (naval)  squadron  on  its  arrival,  require 
a  special  acknowledgment  to  Commodore  Conner 
and  Commander  Mercer,  of  the  navy.  The  army  is 
deeply  grateful  for  this  support  and  co-operation 
from  a  kindred  branch  of  the  public  service."  In 
the  same  general  line  of  kindly  feeling  and  uniform 
courtesy  may  be  mentioned  the  words  reported  to 
have  been  used  to  La  Vega  when  this  captured  Mexi 
can  general  was  first  brought  to  General  Taylor: 
"  General,"  he  said,  "  I  do  assure  you  I  deeply 
regret  that  this  misfortune  has  fallen  upon  you.  I 
regret  it  sincerely,  and  I  take  great  pleasure  in  re 
turning  you  the  sword  which  you  have  this  day 
worn  with  so  much  gallantry." 

To  return  to  the  newly  named  fort.  General 
Taylor  and  Commodore  Conner  had  well  arranged 
their  co-operative  plans  not  only  for  the  proper  de 
fense  of  the  fort  and  the  harbor,  but  for  the  more 
complete  opening  and  holding  of  the  Rio  Grande. 
This  project  was  essential  to  secure  what  had  been 
gained  by  the  campaigns  and  battles  to  the  east  and 
north  of  that  river.  Then,  leaving  the  Commodore 
to  remain  and  begin  his  part  of  the  plan,  he — Taylor — 
was  hastening  to  his  army,  when  he  met  a  messenger 
from  Colonel  Twiggs,  telling  him  that  the  enemy 


OCCUPATION    OF    MATAMOROS.  129 

across  the  river  already  showed  signs  of  recupera 
tion.  Re-enforcements  were  coming  into  Matamoros, 
and  the  Mexicans  had  begun  to  fortify  Barita  and 
other  points  near  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande 
This  was  indeed  a  quick  turn  of  affairs.  Our  general 
never  hesitated  ;  he  could  give  move  for  move  ;  blow 
for  blow  is  the  game  of  war.  He  at  once  retraced 
his  steps.  Fortunately,  there  had  been  an  arrival  of 
his  long-looked-for  re-enforcements,  both  volunteers 
and  regulars. 

A  small  detachment  was  immediately  put  in 
marching  order,  made  up  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
Alabama  and  Louisiana  volunteers  and  about  three 
hundred  of  the  regular  army,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Henry  Wilson,  of  the  First  Infantry,  was  assigned  to 
its  command.  Commodore  Conner  hastened  a  part 
of  his  squadron  to  ascend  the  Rio  Grande,  while 
Wilson's  column  marched  straight  across  the  coun 
try  to  Brazos.  On  their  arrival  the  naval  vessels 
promptly  ferried  the  troops  across  to  the  right  bank 
of  the  river,  and  Wilson  pushed  forward  to  Barita, 
and  seized  that  town  on  May  iyth.  This,  we  under 
stand,  was  General  Taylor's  first  lodgment  on  that 
bank  of  the  great  river.  Whatever  might  be  the 
final  boundary,  this  occupancy  was  necessary  to 
secure  his  base  of  supplies.  His  foresight  and 
promptitude  doubtless  saved  him  from  another 
severe  combat. 

The  general  was  already  back  at  Fort  Brown 
when  Barita  was  captured,  and  getting  ready  to 
cross  his  army  and  take  Matamoros,  The  critics 
ask :  "  Why  did  he  not  do  so  at  once — the  day  after 
the  battle  of  Resaca  de  la  Palma  ? " 

He   needed   two  things  that  are  often   slow  in 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

coming  to  the  front :  the  one,  a  pontoon  bridge  or 
boats  to  cross  that  broad  stream,  that  often  taxes  the 
utmost  skill  and  energy  to  get  over  in  unfavorable 
times;  the  other,  the  proper  siege  material — i.  e., 
the  mortars  and  their  ammunition.  These  things 
had  been  among  the  first  which  the  general  had 
asked  for ;  but  for  some  unexplained  reason  they 
were  not  at  the  front  and  ready  for  use  till  May 
lyth,  and  then  there  was  no  bridge,  only  boats  and 
launches,  for  crossing. 

The  shrewdness  of  General  Arista  now  appears. 
The  instant  he  saw  that  the  American  troops  were 
ready  to  cross,  and  that  a  bombardment  of  the  city 
was  certain  to  take  place,  he  dispatched  a  mes 
senger  of  high  rank  with  a  flag  of  truce — General 
Raquena — to  General  Taylor,  and  begged  for  an 
armistice.  This  request  Taylor  at  once  refused. 
His  first  reason,  that  he  himself  had  offered  an 
armistice  before  the  battles,  which  offer  had  not 
been  entertained  for  one  moment.  He  next  men 
tioned  his  abundant  re-enforcements.  The  possession 
of  the  city  was  indispensable  to  safety.  He  spoke 
of  the  mutilation  and  robbery  of  the  dead  on  the 
part  of  the  rancher  os^  and  proposed  to  be  where  he 
could  control  them. 

Another  reason,  which  both  parties  well  under 
stood  but  did  not  speak  of  to  each  other,  was,  that 
Matamoros  was  a  depot  of  supplies  of  all  kinds. 
Taylor  meant  that  the  stores  should  not  be  carried 
off,  and  Arista  hoped  to  get  away  a  goodly  portion 
before  his  evacuation  of  the  place.  So  at  last  Gen 
eral  Taylor  made  a  positive  demand  for  Matamoros, 
extending  to  General  Arista  good  terms,  to  be  ob 
tained  by  a  quick  compliance.  Raquena  went  back 


OCCUPATION    OF    MATAMOROS.  131 

to  his  chief,  promising  an  answer  by  3  P.  M.  of  that 
day.  All  this  negotiation  was,  however,  only  ruse 
de  guerre.  Arista  was  already  making  off,  and  ma 
noeuvred  only  to  gain  time  while  he  put  in  motion 
the  wagons  with  military  stores.  During  the  night 
of  the  i yth  he  took  flight  with  what  was  left  of  his 
army,  and  was  before  the  morning  of  the  i8th  so  far 
on  his  route  to  Monterey  that  it  would  have  been 
extremely  difficult  to  have  overtaken  him.  Before 
night  of  the  lyth,  the  mortars  being  placed  opposite 
the  city,  Colonel  Twiggs  had  moved  his  force,  in 
order  to  cross  the  Rio  Grande,  to  a  favorable  point 
two  miles  above  Fort  Brown.  The  artillery,  includ 
ing  those  favorite  eighteen-pounders,  was  so  placed 
as  to  cover  the  landing  on  the  west  bank.  All  the 
boats  and  launches  that  could  be  collected  were  se 
cured  to  the  shore,  and  everything  was  ready,  wait 
ing  the  word. 

On  May  i8th  General  Taylor,  speaking  of  Gen 
eral  Raquena's  promised  message,  reports  :  "  An 
answer  to  the  above  was  promised  in  the  afternoon, 
but  none  came;  and  I  repaired  at  sundown  to  join 
the  army,  already  in  position  at  a  crossing  some  two 
miles  above  the  town.  Very  early  this  morning  (the 
i8th)  the  bank  was  occupied  by  two  eighteen-pound 
ers  and  three  batteries  of  field  artillery,  and  the 
crossing  commenced ;  the  light  companies  of  all  the 
battalions  were  first  thrown  over,  followed  by  the 
volunteer  and  regular  cavalry.  No  resistance  was 
made,  and  I  was  soon  informed  from  various  quar 
ters  that  Arista  had  abandoned  the  town,  with  all  his 
troops,  the  evening  before,  leaving  only  the  sick  and 
wounded.  I  immediately  dispatched  a  staff  officer 
to  the  prefect  to  demand  a  surrender ;  and  in  the 


132 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


mean  time  a  commission  was  sent  by  the  prefect  to 
confer  with  me  on  the  same  point.  I  gave  assurance 
that  the  civil  rights  of  the  citizens  would  be  respect 
ed,  and  our  troops  at  once  dropped  down  opposite 
the  town  and  crossed  at  the  '  upper  ferry/  the 
American  flag  being  displayed  at  Fort  Paredes,  a 
Mexican  redoubt  near  the  crossing. 

"  The  different  corps  now  encamped  in  the  out 
skirts  of  the  city  .  .  .  More  than  three  hundred  of 
the  enemy's  wounded  have  been  left  in  the  hospitals. 
Arista  is  in  full  retreat  toward  Monterey,  with  the 
fragments  of  his  army.  I  deeply  regret  "  (how  often 
the  regret !)  "  to  report  that  Lieutenant  George  Ste 
vens,  a  very  promising  young  officer  of  the  Second 
Dragoons,  was  accidentally  drowned  this  morning 
while  attempting  to  swim  the  river  with  his  squad 
ron." 

Undoubtedly,  however,  there  was  soon  great  joy 
in  the  American  camp.  As  the  first  crossing  began, 
the  boats  steered  along  in  groups,  borne  downward 
by  the  swift  current,  followed  by  platoons  of  troops 
on  their  horses  swimming  for  dear  life,  the  bands  of 
music  upon  the  east  shore  were  playing  the  thrilling 
air  of  "Yankee  Doodle." 

Here  again  we  behold  the  thoughtful  and  humane 
general.  He  protects  the  property  and  lives  of  the 
citizens.  He  appoints  General  Twiggs  Governor; 
but,  excepting  the  proper  guards,  he  stations  the 
troops  outside  of  the  city.  He  puts  even  his  own 
headquarters  in  camp.  Colonel  Twiggs's  wing  is 
above,  and  General  Worth,  now  back  from  a  brief 
absence  with  his  wing,  below  Matamoros.  The  Sev 
enth  Infantry  is  still  left  to  garrison  and  hold  Fort 
Brown. 


OCCUPATION    OF    MATAMOROS. 


133 


Meanwhile  General  Arista  was  making  his  way 
over  that  thirsty  land  as  fast  as  his  impedimenta 
would  allow  him.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Garland,  with 
the  volunteer  and  regular  cavalry,  pushed  out,  May 
i9th,  in  pursuit,  and  marched  as  far  as  he  dared  over 
a  barren  waste — as  far  as  his  horses'  strength  permit 
ted.  He  touched  a  remnant  of  Arista's  rear  guard, 
took  a  few  prisoners,  and  then  without  much  satis 
faction  returned  to  the  Rio  Grande  with  his  half- 
famished  command.  The  color  which  General  Arista 
gives  to  his  situation  in  a  letter  of  the  i8th  is  enter 
taining.  He  writes:  "All  the  means  of  subsistence 
of  this  division  being  consumed,  its  activity  para 
lyzed,  and  its  artillery  diminished,  while  that  of  the 
enemy  greatly  increased  in  the  number  of  his  pieces 
and  the  caliber  of  his  guns  in  such  a  manner  that, 
were  he  to  open  his  fire,  the  city  of  Matamoros 
would  be  destroyed,  to  the  utter  ruin  of  national  and 
foreign  interests,  I  have  decided  to  retire  from  it 
with  the  forces  under  my  command  before  being 
summoned  and  obliged  to  evacuate  it  with  dishonor, 
which  I  shall  thus  avoid ;  for  the  march  is  slow,  our 
pieces  being  drawn  by  oxen,  and  our  munitions  in 
carts.  My  object  now  is  to  defend  the  soil  of  those 
departments  which  have  been  intrusted  to  me;  and 
for  that  purpose  I  am  going  to  post  myself  at  those 
points  most  convenient  and  within  reach  of  supplies, 
etc." 

Probably,  under  all  the  circumstances  then  exist 
ing,  Arista  acted  wisely.  General  Taylor,  with  a  co 
operating  naval  squadron,  had  already  shut  up  the 
Rio  Grande ;  he  had  made  a  firm  lodgment  upon 
the  western  bank  of  the  river  at  Barita.  Arista 
might  possibly  stop  a  near-at-hand  crossing  for  a 
10 


134 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


time;  but  probably  he  could  not  do  even  that,  con 
sidering  the  nature  of  the  landing  and  the  possibili 
ty  of  Taylor's  covering  it  thoroughly  with  artillery, 
heavy  and  light;  and  certainly  those  terrible  mor 
tars,  if  opened,  would  utterly  destroy  the  little  city 
itself.  Again,  there  is  in  Arista's  words  a  half-ex 
pressed  acknowledgment  of  a  loss  of  morale  among 
his  troops.  They  had  just  been  twice  defeated  un 
der,  to  him,  most  favoring  conditions.  How  could 
they  now  hold  their  own  against  an  increase  of  num 
bers  of  these  unconquerable  fighters  ? 

The  primary  and  avowed  object  of  the  United 
States  Government  and  of  the  Texans  had  now  been 
fully  secured ;  the  Rio  Grande  was  ours,  and  there 
was  almost  a  barren  desert  of  sixty  or  seventy  miles 
westward  and  southward  to  aid  the  conquering  army 
to  keep  what  it  had  gained.  General  Taylor,  having 
given  the  poor  inhabitants  a  better  and  safer  govern 
ment  than  any  they  had  probably  ever  before  en 
joyed,  could  afford  to  indulge  himself  in  a  few  days 
of  much-needed  rest  while  he  waited  for  further 
orders. 

General  Arista  was  a  representative  Mexican 
commander,  and — may  I  say  it  ? — General  Taylor  was 
a  representative  American  officer.  Arista's  surround 
ings,  even  in  the  field  and  during  his  active  cam 
paign,  and  his  methods  of  procedure,  were  in  remark 
able  contrast  to  those  of  Taylor.  Arista  had  for  his 
own  occupancy  a  large  marquee,  striped  with  differ 
ent  colors  in  its  texture,  giving  expanse  and  brilliancy 
to  his  surroundings.  Other  tents  were  symmetrically 
located  for  effect  in  respect  to  the  great  marquee. 
Officials  of  every  rank,  obsequious  in  deportment, 
clustered  around,  displaying  a  variety  of  brilliant 


OCCUPATION    OF    MATAMOROS.  135 

uniform.  Orderlies  and  personal  staff  officers  were 
ready  at  all  times  in  sight,  with  their  horses  saddled 
and  equipped  near  at  hand.  The  pack  trains  for  the 
headquarters  were  numerous,  and  the  aparejos^  with 
all  appertaining  to  them  when  on  the  ground,  were 
arranged  in  squares  and  rectangles  in  the  right  or 
left  rear  of  the  central  tents.  If  you  glanced  through 
the  open  front  to  the  inside  of  Arista's  compartments 
you  saw  tables  laden  with  maps  ;  chairs  in  plenty  and 
settees;  silver  and  other  table  furniture  like  that  of 
a  palace.  In  the  midst  of  this  luxury  was  General 
Arista,  continually  receiving  from  his  officers  official 
reports  and  acts  of  personal  obetssance,  which  added 
to  the  picturesque  display.  Music  of  the  bands, 
though  not  always  of  the  best,  brought  in  from  the 
regiments,  was  never  wanting  during  reception  and 
official  hours  to  keep  up  the  bewildering  effects.  It 
was  like  the  brilliant  court  of  some  mediaeval  prince. 
The  distance  from  this  general  in  command  to  the 
humble  subordinate  or  to  the  common  soldier,  how 
ever  brave  and  faithful,  was  too  great  to  be  esti 
mated. 

Behold  the  contrast  between  this  brilliant  Mexi 
can  officer  and  the  plain  man  who  commanded  our 
army !  A  witness  who  visited  the  encampment  of 
the  army  beyond  the  river  gives  a  sketch  pertaining 
to  this  time  which  speaks  for  itself:  "About  a  mile 
above  the  city  of  Matamoros,  a  little  distance  from 
the  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  are  to  be  seen  (June  i, 
1846)  some  stunted  and  ill-shaped  trees  which  bend 
their  gnarled  and  almost  leafless  limbs  over  a  group 
of  three  or  four  small  tents,  only  different  from 
those  of  the  common  soldiers  in  this,  that  they  are 
heterogeneously  disposed  for  shade,  instead  of  being 


136  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

in  a  line,  regardless  of  all  else  than  military  precis 
ion.  The  plain  about  is  dotted  over  with  thousands 
of  tents,  before  many  of  which  were  pieces  of  artil 
lery  and  groups  of  soldiers,  and  over  some  waved 
in  triumphant  folds  our  national  flag,  giving  promise 
of  more  importance  and  pomp  than  the  little  knot 
to  which  we  have  particularly  alluded.  .  .  .  We 
wound  our  way  toward  the  dwarfish  trees  .  .  .  that 
were  distinguished  from  being  a  few  feet  higher  than 
the  surrounding  brush,  and  for  the  little  group  of 
tents  that  rested  beneath  them ;  for  they  were 
pointed  out  as  marking  the  headquarters  of  the  com 
manding  general  of  a  triumphant  American  army. 
Not  the  slightest  token  was  visible  to  mark  one  tent 
from  another ;  there  were  no  sentinels,  or  any  mili 
tary  parade  present ;  a  chubby,  sunburned  child,  be 
longing  to  the  camp,  was  playing  near  by  in  the 
grass.  .  .  .  We  presented  ourselves  at  the  opening 
of  one  of  the  tents,  before  which  was  standing  a 
dragoon's  horse  much  used  by  hard  service.  Upon 

a  camp-stool   at  our  left   sat  General ,  in  busy 

conversation  with  a  hearty-looking  old  gentleman 
sitting  on  a  box  (cushioned  with  an  Arkansas  blan 
ket),  dressed  in  Attakapas  pantaloons  and  a  linen 
roundabout,  and  remarkable  for  a  bright,  flashing 
eye,  a  high  forehead,  a  farmer  look,  and  '  rough-and- 
ready  '  appearance."  Of  course,  this  was  General 
Zachary  Taylor. 

"  There  was  no  pomp  about  his  tent.  A  couple  of 
rough,  blue  chests  served  for  his  table,  on  which 
were  strewn  in  masterly  confusion  a  variety  of  official- 
looking  documents.  A  quiet-looking,  citizen-dressed 
personage  made  his  appearance  upon  hearing  the 
call  of  '  Ben,'  bearing  on  a  tin  salver  the  usual  re- 


OCCUPATION   OF    MATAMOROS. 


137 


freshments.  These  refreshments  were  deposited 
upon  a  stool,  and  *  we  helped  ourselves  '  by  invita 
tion.  We  bore  to  the  general  a  complimentary  gift 
from  some  of  his  fellow-citizens  of  New  Orleans, 
which  he  declined  receiving  for  the  present,  giving  at 
the  same  time  a  short  but  *  hard-sense  '  lecture  on  the 
impropriety  of  people  naming  children  and  places 
after  men  before  they  were  dead  ;  or  of  his  receiving 
a  reward  for  his  services  before  the  campaign,  so 
far  as  he  was  concerned,  was  finished." 

Matamoros  is  still  a  small  city  of  about  twenty- 
five  thousand  inhabitants.  It  has  changed  so  little 
that  even  the  places  of  encampment  of  Taylor's 
troops  are  traceable.  Everything  has  the  appear 
ance  of  age.  Pavements  are  rough,  but  kept  clean. 
The  old  churches  are,  like  all  in  Mexico,  of  venerable 
appearance,  but  presenting  fine  points  in  architect 
ural  effect,  and  well  preserved  without  and  within.  A 
commodious  opera-house  and  various  school  build 
ings  are  among  the  modern  productions.  The  depot 
of  the  railroad,  and  the  railroad  itself,  well  furnished 
and  in  the  best  condition  throughout,  running  from 
Matamoros  to  San  Miguel — that  is,  within  twenty-one 
miles  of  Camargo — is  evidence  of  progress.  As  soon 
as  this  road  has  its  proper  and  promised  extension 
to  Monterey,  the  lower  Rio  Grande  Valley,  rich  in 
every  production,  will  be  thus  connected  with  the 
City  of  Mexico  and  the  outside  world.  Several  ex 
cellent  schools,  fostered  by  the  Mexican  Govern 
ment,  are  in  existence  in  Matamoros.  Some  of  them 
have  exceptional  educational  advantages.  So  that, 
to-day,  the  visitor  to  this  part  of  General  Taylor's 
operations  is  made  to  feel  that  though  there  has 
been  a  small  growth,  even  this  part  of  the  country, 


j^g  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

remarkably  shut  in,  which  General  Taylor  was  con 
strained  to  take,  is  making  progress.  The  interest 
of  General  Lojero,  the  manly  commandant  and  gov 
ernor,  and  all  connected  with  him,  in  carrying  out 
the  present  policy  of  thorough  tolerance  in  religion 
and  complete  protection  to  the  schools,  are  harbin 
gers  of  untold  blessings  to  this  people. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

Three  months'  rest  of  Taylor's  army — Leaders  of  the  Whig  party 
looking  to  Taylor  as  candidate  for  the  presidency — Extracts 
from  letters  relating  thereto— Taylor  brevetted  Major-General 
—Given  full  rank  a  little  later— Taylor's  plans  coincident  with 
Scott's — Movement  on  Camargo  begun — Taylor's  popularity 
with  his  soldiers — His  self-denial — Care  for  the  sick  on  the 
steamer. 

FROM  the  last  of  May  to  the  last  of  August,  full 
three  months,  the  army  of  General  Taylor  to  the  peo 
ple  seemed  to  be  idle.  It  certainly  fought  no  battle 
and  made  no  offensive  movement  likely  to  bring  on 
one.  Politicians  attributed  the  delays  to  faults  of 
the  Executive.  Taylor's  letters,  extracts  being  pub 
lished,  showed  that  there  was  something  wanting. 
Soldiers  who  were  lying  in  hospital  wrote  their  own 
darkened  version  of  affairs,  and  these  were  published 
by  political  opponents  to  the  war  and  made  much  of. 
The  various  discontents  that  arose  resulted  in  politi 
cal  reactions,  so  that  the  Whigs  felt  that  the  tide 
was  setting  against  the  party  in  power.  Their 
shrewdest  leaders,  when  canvassing,  as  usual,  for  the 
most  available  candidate  for  the  next  President,  fixed 
their  eyes  upon  General  Taylor.  For  a  time  the 
sturdy  old  chief  was  greatly  troubled  by  the  mul 
titude  of  soliciting  letters  that  he  received ;  and, 
indeed,  he  was  in  a  position  of  embarrassment. 


140  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Mr.  Folk's  party  was  ardently  pursuing  the  demo 
cratic  policy,  with  the  Southern  States  plainly  in  the 
lead  General  Taylor  was  at  the  front,  the  chief  in 
command  under  President  Polk  as  his  own  com- 
mander-in-chief,  a  representative  of  the  democratic 
administration,  and  yet  General  Taylor  was  known 
to  be  a  Whig  The  situation  had  the  effect  to  make 
him  exceedingly  cautious.  Extracts  from  his  replies 
to  political  friends,  or  managers,  will  show  how 
steadily  and  stoutly  he  avoided  any  partisan  stand. 
A  letter  of  July  21,  1846,  has  these  expressions: 
"  But  it  becomes  me  sincerely  and  frankly  to  acknowl 
edge  to  you  that  for  that  office  (the  presidency)  I 
have  no  aspiration  whatever.  Although  no  politician, 
having  always  held  myself  aloof  from  the  clamors 
of  party  politics,  I  am  a  Whig,  and  shall  ever  be  de 
voted  to  the  principles  of  that  party.  Even  if  the 
subject  which  you  have  in  your  letter  opened  to  me 
were  acceptable  at  any  time,  I  have  not  the  leisure 
to  attend  to  it  now;  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the 
war  with  Mexico,  so  important  to  the  interests  of 
the  country,  demands  every  moment  of  my  present 
time,  and  it  is  my  great  desire  to  bring  it  to  a  speedy 
and  honorable  termination." 

How  far-seeing  he  was!  The  vigorous  prosecu 
tion  of  the  war  would  undoubtedly  bring  honor  and 
strength  to  the  party  in  power,  but  there  was  some 
thing  to  be  gained  far  beyond  any  partisan  project  or 
purpose.  His  nation,  as  a  nation,  though  reluctantly 
drawn  into  the  struggle,  was  in  it  too  deeply  to  retire 
without  disaster.  The  United  States  had  accepted 
Texas  as  a  State;  the  border-line  had  now  been  fixed 
and  must  be  maintained  unless  civil  negotiations  and 
compromises  should  change  it.  Mexico  had  wanted 


SUMMER   OF    1846.  141 

the  war;  had  refused  negotiation;  had  crossed  the 
border  and  attacked  the  nation's  army ;  and,  though 
defeated  in  two  battles  and  driven  back  to  the  river, 
still  insisted  on  its  claim  to  the  whole  of  Texas. 
For  the  nation,  independent  of  party,  there  was  noth 
ing  now  to  be  done  except  to  push  forward  all  the 
columns  and  compel  a  peace.  So  all  men  through 
out  the  land  believed  and  acted,  the  Whigs  as  well 
as  the  Democrats.  The  Whigs  even  strove  to  outdo 
the  Democrats,  and  complained  loudly  at  the  delays 
that  somebody  was  causing  to  General  Taylor's  su 
perb  and  gallant  army. 

In  another  letter  of  later  date  Taylor,  with  brief 
emphasis,  says :  "  In  no  case  can  I  permit  myself  to 
be  the  candidate  of  any  party,  or  yield  myself  to 
party  schemes."  Again:  "Should  I  ever  occupy  the 
White  House,  it  must  be  by  the  spontaneous  move 
of  the  people,  and  by  no  act  of  mine,  so  that  I  could 
go  into  the  office  untrammeled,  and  be  the  chief  mag 
istrate  of  the  nation  and  not  of  a  party."  This  cer 
tainly  is  a  high  and  honorable  stand.  It  seems  in  all 
this  correspondence  as  if  the  soul  of  Washington  had 
found  in  Taylor  a  worthy  successor — broad  as  the 
nation,  unselfish  in  his  devotion  to  duty,  and  with 
no  other  object  or  ambition  except  that  he  might 
contribute  to  the  nation's  honor.  What  a  source  of 
gratulation  and  thanksgiving  that  God  has  ever 
given  us  such  leaders  just  when  they  were  most 
needed ! 

During  this  three  months' interval  of  comparative 
inactivity  many  things  of  importance  came  about. 
Taylor  was  promptly  brevetted  Major  -  General. 
Then,  a  little  after,  Congress,  taking  the  lead,  secured 
for  him  the  full  rank.  The  expedition  of  General 


142  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

Kearny  through  New  Mexico  to  end  in  California, 
where,  in  conjunction  with  Commodore  Stockton,  of 
the  navy,  and  Colonel  Fremont,  the  great  Path 
finder,  the  Pacific  coast  was  taken,  was  already  on 
foot.  So  also  had  taken  place  the  marvelous  march 
and  work  of  Colonel  Doniphan  to  Chihuahua,  end 
ing  in  a  final  junction  with  General  Taylor.  Again, 
there  was  just  then  a  lively  correspondence  between 
Washington  and  General  Taylor  about  different  lines 
of  operation ;  some  of  this  correspondence,  unfortu 
nately,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  A  principal 
question  was :  Should  another  co-operating  column  go 
toward  the  City  of  Mexico  ?  Should  it  be  via  Tam- 
pico,  or  could  we  get  a  lodgment  near  Vera  Cruz, 
and  go  that  way  ? 

General  Scott,  who  was  also  a  strong  Whig,  and 
who  quickly  resented  civilian  interference  with  his 
plans,  was  known  to  be  an  able  military  thinker,  and 
he  was  the  senior  general ;  but  he  was  not  liked  by 
Mr.  Polk  or  by  his  secretary,  William  L.  Marcy. 
He  finally  was  required  to  submit  his  views  on  the 
route  via  Vera  Cruz,  and  make  his  estimates  of  men 
and  means.  He  did  so,  yet,  had  it  not  been  for 
General  Taylor's  thorough  self-abnegation  and  re 
markable  coincidence  with  Scott  as  to  the  route  and 
plan  of  operations,  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  latter's 
services  there  would  ever  have  been  put  to  the  test. 
As  it  was,  General  Scott  was  only  given  a  little  more 
than  half  his  estimates  of  the  required  force  to  carry 
on  an  offensive  campaign  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the  City 
of  Mexico. 

All  this  discussion,  planning,  and  final  action  were 
to  affect  General  Taylor's  operations.  To  seize  the 
Rio  Grande,  to  conquer  the  more  northern  states  of 


SUMMER   OF    1846.  143 

Mexico  and  to  hold  them  tenaciously,  at  least  as  far 
as  the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains,  was  General  Tay 
lor's  real  work.  He  did  at  no  time  advise  his  Gov 
ernment  to  make  that  crooked  and  long  and  easily 
obstructed  line  the  road  to  the  capture  of  the 
Mexican  capital.  So  General  Scott's  plan  from  the 
outset  met  his  sincere  and  hearty  approbation. 

The  statements  of  writers  that  Taylor  had  during 
this  interval  too  few  troops,  is  not  exact.  In  fact, 
he  had  too  many  volunteers  ;  not  only  those  pro 
vided  for  by  the  administration's  call,  but  those  also 
brought  into  the  field  through  the  Department  of 
the  Southwest  then  commanded  by  General  Gaines 
at  New  Orleans.  There  were  more  than  could  be 
immediately  utilized.  Still,  as  General  Taylor  filled 
up  the  time  of  his  long  enforced  delay  at  Corpus 
Christi  by  thoroughness  of  equipment,  organization, 
discipline,  and  essential  drill,  and  so  prepared  his 
small  force  to  exceed  the  enemy's  in  every  particular 
of  fitness  and  preparation,  so  now  the  new  levies,  both 
regular  and  volunteer,  were  remodeled  and  trained. 

Taylor's  plan  in  the  first  place  was  to  seize  Ca- 
margo  as  soon  as  he  could  supply  a  depot  there,  and, 
of  course,  take  and  hold  all  intermediate  points,  and 
then  make  that  river  port  the  base  of  his  advance 
into  the  interior  for  the  capture  of  Monterey.  Ca- 
margo  was  some  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  above 
Matamoros.  His  force  was  increased,  but  not  his 
wagons.  His  requisitions  made  long  before  were 
not  yet  filled.  The  best  way  to  supply  Camargo  was, 
of  course,  by  water ;  but  the  right  kind  of  steamers 
were  not  sent.  His  chief  quartermaster  had  been 
murdered  by  the  rancheros ;  the  younger  officer 
selected  and  sent  to  New  Orleans  in  his  place  was 


144  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

hindered  in  his  work  of  hiring  steamboats  by  some 
Washington  interference,  probably  for  economy's 
sake,  tha^t  all  additions  that  should  require  money 
outlay  might  be  done  at  the  one  Washington  office  ; 
so  that  for  more  than  two  months  General  Taylor  did 
not  have  the  proper  river  transports,  while  his  army 
was  lying  in  the  lowest  Rio  Grande  Valley  exposed 
to  all  the  dangers  of  a  warm  climate  at  a  sickly  season. 
The  conclusion  is  plain  enough  that  the  quarter 
master-general  did  not  then  comprehend  the  situa 
tion,  nor  make  the  indispensable  preparation,  till 
about  two  and  a  half  months  later,  notwithstanding 
the  clearest  demand  for  it.  To  some  extent  Gen 
eral  Taylor  and  those  around  him  made  noteworthy 
amends  by  following  the  Mexican  example — that  is, 
by  improvising  pack-trains.  They  soon  brought  into 
training  whole  herds  of  those  docile,  hardy  little 
mules  which  were  found  in  abundance  in  Texas  and 
Mexico,  and  so,  after  procuring  or  making  saddles, 
managed  to  move  without  the  additional  wagons 
which  yet,  as  well  as  the  steamboats,  unaccountably 
delayed  their  coming. 

Finally,  in  August,  1846,  the  movement  to  Camargo 
began.  Artillery,  cavalry,  and  one  brigade  of  in 
fantry  went  by  land,  using  such  roads  as  they  could 
find.  To  avoid  the  dangerous  heat  of  the  sun,  the 
troops  and  trains  marched  by  night.  Meanwhile 
the  steamers  were  used  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
supplies  and  for  the  remainder  of  the  command  which 
General  Taylor  decided  to  take  with  him.  Even  yet 
the  steamers  were  so  few — those  that  could  stem  the 
current  of  the  Rio  Grande — that  their  cargoes  had  to 
be  repeated.  General  Taylor  went  on  them  back  and 
forth  as  the  necessities  for  his  presence  required.  An 


SUMMER   OF    1846.  145 

incident  of  one  of  these  trips  to  Camargo  shows  the 
characteristic  method  by  which  he  checked  the  too 
great  self-love  of  some  of  his  subordinates,  and  won 
the  confidence  and  affection  of  his  soldiers.  The  story, 
in  fact,  became  public,  and  was  often  repeated  on  the 
stump  in  the  next  presidential  campaign.  It  appears 
that  when  he  came  on  board  the  ascending  steamer 
—then,  in  addition  to  other  portage,  carrying  many 
sick  and  disabled  men — General  Taylor  found  all  the 
berths  except  his  own  already  occupied  by  army  con 
tractors,  sutlers,  some  officers,  and  other  privileged 
classes.  He  immediately  sent  them  instructions  to 
vacate,  and  filled  the  rooms  and  berths  they  had 
occupied  with  the  disabled  soldiers.  Somebody, 
trying  to  find  him  [Taylor]  in  the  morning,  went  to 
his  state-room,  and,  lo  !  his  place  was  filled  by  a  sick 
man.  After  search,  they  at  last  found  the  old  gen 
eral  wrapped  in  his  blanket  on  the  deck  of  the  vessel, 
sound  asleep.  His  thoughtful  tenderness,  of  which 
this  is  an  example,  made  him  very  popular  among 
the  men,  and  nerved  them  also  to  the  easy  endurance 
of  the  greatest  privation  and  hardship. 

It  perhaps  should  be  said,  in  abatement  of  the 
stupid  inefficiency  of  the  quartermaster's  department 
at  this  critical  time,  that  Congress  itself  made  some 
checks  and  hindrances  to  the  progress  of  the  war. 
As  soon  as  it  became  evident  to  the  opposition,  then, 
that  there  was  a  clear  prospect  of  acquirement  by 
this  struggle  of  large  territories,  they  put  a  brake 
upon  the  passage  of  the  "  three-million-money  bill." 
It  was  an  amendment  offered  to  the  bill  by  the  Hon. 
David  Wilmot,  of  Pennsylvania.  It  was  ever  after 
briefly  denominated  "  The  Wilmot  Proviso."  It 
as  follows  : 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


"Provided,  That,  as  an  express  and  fundamental 
condition  to  the  acquisition  of  any  territory  from  the 
Republic  of  Mexico  by  the  United  States  by  virtue 
of  any  treaty  that  may  be  negotiated  between  them, 
and  to  the  use  by  the  Executive  of  the  moneys  herein 
appropriated,  neither  slavery  nor  voluntary  servitude 
shall  ever  exist  in  any  part  of  said  territory,  except 
for  crime  whereof  the  party  shall  be  duly  con 
victed." 

Whigs  and  antislavery  men  were  numerous 
enough  in  the  House  to  pass  the  amended  bill,  but 
it  failed  in  the  Senate  ;  so  that  the  energetic  Presi 
dent  lost  his  three  millions,  was  limited  in  his  re 
sources,  and,  moreover,  was  taught  by  the  character 
of  the  opposition  to  go  forward  in  all  his  operations 
with  caution. 

General  Worth  led  the  advance  from  Camargo 
the  last  of  August,  1846.  The  road  toward  Monte 
rey  was  by  no  means  good  ;  often  it  was  little  better 
than  a  horse-trail.  This  difficulty  was  partially  over 
come  by  an  excellent  body  of  "sappers  and  miners," 
and  detailed  parties  from  the  troops  who  freely  used 
the  pick  and  shovel.  Want  of  wagons,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  made  up  by  an  abundance  of  pack-trains; 
and  there  was,  as  usual,  a  great  change  for  the  better 
in  the  health  and  spirits  of  the  command  as  the  sol 
diers  advanced,  ascending  to  the  higher  table-lands, 
or  traversed  the  pathways  and  horse-trails  leading 
over  the  mountains  of  Mexico.  The  three  columns 
into  which  General  Taylor  divided  his  army  followed 
substantially  the  same  road,  but  always  with  intervals. 
Colonel  Twiggs  with  his  brigade  followed  General 
Worth,  leaving  Camargo  September  5th  ;  and  Gen 
eral  Quitman  set  out  with  the  rear  brigade  on  Septem- 


SUMMER   OF    1846.  147 

her  i yth.  The  distance  from  Camargo  to  Monterey 
is  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles,  and  that  region  for 
the  most  part  is  described  as  rough,  dry,  desolate, 
and  dreary. 

General  Taylor  brought  his  divisions  together  at 
Ceralvo,  a  small  town  at  the  base  of  the  Sierra 
Madre,  sixty  miles  from  the  city  of  Monterey.  Three 
days'  rest  were  deemed  enough;  then  he  pushed  on 
through  a  mountain  defile  and  encamped  in  front  of 
Marin  ;  next  he  moved  to  within  ten  miles  of  Monte 
rey,  to  a  small  village  named  San  Francisco.  Soon 
after  leaving  this  town  the  advance  guard  encount 
ered  a  sudden  opposition,  and  received  a  few  shots 
from  the  Mexican  cannon.  General  Taylor  at  this 
time  took  for  his  guard  and  escort  a  squadron  of  the 
Texas  Rangers  and  pushed  ahead  to  reconnoiter. 
After  he  emerged  from  the  mountain  road  he  reached 
and  crossed  an  extended  plain  that  slopes  gently  to 
ward  the  city.  Here  the  fire  from  the  enemy  reopen 
ed,  and  a  twelve-pounder  ball  struck  the  ground  a 
few  feet  from  him.  This  plain  then  afforded  a  lovely 
region,  extending  several  miles  from  the  city  lim 
its,  whither  the  wealthier  of  the  inhabitants  in  the 
hot  season  resorted.  General  Taylor  had  Colonel 
Twiggs  put  his  brigades  into  camp  in  a  beautiful  sub 
urban  field,  while  he  with  his  field-glass,  and  aided 
by  his  active  staff,  continued  to  study  the  splendid 
little  city  half  encompassed  by  grand  mountains  be 
fore  him,  and  to  observe  the  foot-hills,  crowning 
redoubts,  and  separate  fortress. 

NOTE. — General  James  Grant  Wilson  furnishes  the  following 
interesting  incident,  derived  from  one  of  his  visits  to  England  : 
The  favorite  horse  of  General  Taylor,  and  the  one  he  was  riding 
on  his  approach  to  Monterey,  and  afterward  in  the  battle  near 


148  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Saltillo,  was  called  by  the  soldiers  "  Whitey,"  or,  fondly,  "  Old 
Whitey." 

General  Wilson  says  :  "  When  I  first  visited  the  second  Duke 
of  Wellington  at  Strathfieldsaye  in  1872,  I  observed  hanging  on 
the  walls  of  my  sleeping-room,  called  the  '  Coronation  Chamber ' 
— from  the  circumstance  of  its  containing  a  large  picture  of  the 
coronation  of  Queen  Victoria  in  Westminster  Abbey,  in  which  the 
Iron  Duke  was  a  prominent  personage — a  portrait  of  General 
Zachary  Taylor,  wearing  a  broad-brimmed  straw  hat  and  mounted 
on  '  Old  Whitey,'  with  both  legs  on  one  side  of  the  saddle.  The 
picture  was  sent  to  the  Duke  soon  after  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista 
by  an  anonymous  American  friend,  and  he  was  so  much  inter 
ested  in  the  quaint  representation  of  old  '  Rough  and  Ready '  that 
it  was  hung  in  one  of  the  principal  sleeping-apartments  of  Strath 
fieldsaye,  his  country  seat,  presented  to  him  for  a  day's  work  at 
Waterloo.  The  second  Duke  said  to  me  that  his  father  (the  Iron 
Duke)  watched  the  Mexican  campaigns  with  the  greatest  interest, 
and  entertained  a  high  opinion  of  the  military  genius  of  Generals 
Taylor  and  Scott." 

To  show  General  Taylor's  habit  of  resting,  even  in  battle, 
upon  his  saddle  in  the  position  given  by  the  Iron  Duke's  picture, 
in  one  of  the  early  engagements,  the  story  is  that  he  and  several 
members  of  his  staff  rode  to  a  prominent  knoll  to  make  observa 
tions.  A  Mexican  battery  commander,  seeing  the  group,  poured 
upon  them  at  once  his  grape  and  canister.  One  of  Taylor's  staff 
cried  out  in  trepidation  :  "  We'll  all  be  killed  here  !  " 

"  Upon  my  word,"  said  Taylor,  "  I  do  believe  the  rascals 
want  to  hit  me  ! " 

Now  an  officer,  remonstrating,  begged  him  to  retire  to  a  safer 
place. 

"  Well,"  said  the  general,  who  had  been  sitting  all  the  time 
at  his  ease,  with  his  leg  over  the  saddle,  closely  scanning  the 
movements  going  forward,  "  let  us  ride  up  nearer,  and  then  their 
balls  will  go  over  us." 

He  thereupon  rode  forward  to  another  hardly  less  exposed 
position,  where  he  could  keep  in  view  the  operating  forces. 

The  color  of  his  favorite  horse,  "  Old  Whitey,"  was  indeed  a 
source  of  special  peril,  but  he  never  appeared  to  think  of  that. 


VICINITY    OF 

MONTEREY 

AND 

SALTILLO 


CHAPTER   XII. 

The  storming  and  capture  of  Monterey — The  city  and  environ 
ments — Arista  relieved,  Monterey  defended  by  Ampudia — 
His  inspiring  address — Taylor's  troops — Preparations  for  bat 
tle—Rain  and  severe  cold  of  the  first  night — Battle  at  day 
break — Cheers  drew  a  heavy  fire — Quickness  of  Worth's  bat 
teries  astonishes  the  Mexicans — Worth  attempts  the  mountain 
forts — Federacion  captured,  its  guns  turned  on  Soldado — 
Mexican  panic — Soldado  captured — Effort  of  Mexican  com 
mander  to  charge,  driven  back — Duncan  and  Mackall's  bat 
teries. 

LEAVING  General  Taylor  on  the  extended  plateau 
with  his  sturdy  face  turned  southward,  looking  over 
the  city  and  the  hill-country  before  him,  closely 
observing  several  rounded  knolls  and  high  points, 
buildings,  and  military  works,  let  us  go  on  beyond 
his  actual  vision  and  see  if  we  can  not  so  map  out 
this  region  as  to  give  the  reader  an  intelligent  con 
ception  of  the  environments  of  Monterey,  and  of 
the  extraordinary  engagements  very  soon  to  take 
place  in  and  near  that  city. 

Monterey  is  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Nuevo 
Leon.  The  population  in  1846  was  somewhere  from 
ten  to  twelve  thousand.  Like  most  Mexican  cities, 
it  had  a  few  rich  and  many  poor  inhabitants;  yet 
this  was  the  most  thriving  town  in  the  State,  and 

more  so  than  any  as  near  to  the  lower  valley  of  the 
ii 


l$0  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

Rio  Grande.  It  had  fair  accumulations  of  property, 
with  thriving  suburbs.  To  General  Taylor's  front, 
on  the  southern  side  of  the  city,  running  just  at  this 
place  eastward,  is  the  small  San  Juan  River ;  across 
this  river,  making  a  background  for  the  general's 
picture,  comes  a  branch  of  the  Sierra  Madre  Mount 
ains,  trending  southeast.  Just  at  his  feet,  near  the 
north  side,  passes  the  smaller  stream,  a  branch  of 
the  San  Juan,  which  inclines  southward  and  enters 
the  main  river  at  a  northern  bend  east  of  the  city. 
Off  to  his  right — that  is,  farther  west — there  is  a  long, 
gourd-shaped  hill  of  considerable  height,  with  very 
little  on  it  of  buildings  or  trees.  On  this  hill,  one 
may  say,  on  the  first  terrace,  was  located  the  Bishop's 
Palace.  The  palace  and  the  protecting  works  give 
the  name  Obispado  to  that  neighborhood.  Still  far 
ther  to  the  west  are  the  great  Sierra  Madre  Mount 
ains.  Without  the  city  limits,  and  on  the  near  north 
side,  was  moderately  high  ground,  which  was  hand 
somely  crowned  with  "  The  Citadel "  or  "  Black 
Fort/'  Between  General  Taylor  and  the  main  plaza, 
to  the  east  of  the  Citadel,  was  the  stone  bridge,  a 
solid  structure,  guarded  by  a  t£te-de-pont.  Again,  to 
the  east  of  the  city,  was  a  grand  spur  of  the  Sierra 
Madre,  called,  from  the  shape  of  its  double  crest, 
"Saddle  Mountain." 

These  features,  hemming  in  the  pretty  valley 
with  hills,  mountains,  and  streams,  the  general  and 
his  staff  quickly  took  in.  Now  their  glasses  dwelt 
on  the  forts  and  redoubts.  Before  him,  at  the  stone 
bridge  entrance  to  the  city,  he  saw  the  enveloping 
intrenchments  before  mentioned — i.  e.,  the  tete-de-pont. 
On  the  near  bank  of  the  small  river,  farther  east, 
near  the  confluence  of  the  two  rivers,  a  strong  re- 


MONTEREY    UNDER    FIRE.  j^ 

doubt  named  "  El  Teneria,"  manned  with  four  heavy 
guns;  above  that  a  second  redoubt  with  three  guns, 
called  "  Rincon  del  Diablo  " ;  and  above,  farther  up  the 
valley,  another,  "  Libertad."  These,  with  the  Cita 
del,  formed  a  system  of  works  guarding  the  northern 
and  eastern  approaches.  On  the  west,  on  the  second 
natural  terrace  above  the  Bishop's  Palace,  the  bare, 
abrupt  knoll  carried  one  redoubt  upon  "  Loma  del 
Independencia."  The  palace  and  this  fort  were  well 
constructed,  equipped,  and  manned.  South,  over 
the  river,  high  up  on  the  foot-hill  of  the  Sierra  spur, 
were  two  more  redoubts,  "  Federacion  "  and  "  Solda- 
do."  These  swept  the  Little  San  Juan  valley  up  and 
down  with  their  cannon-fire. 

There  was  something  not  yet  mentioned,  of  which 
the  general  had  already  had  knowledge  from  the 
maps  that  his  topographical  engineers  had  carefully 
prepared  and  furnished.  It  was  the  roads  and  streets 
around  and  within  Monterey.  Unrolling  his  maps, 
he  studied  and  compared.  The  road  on  which  Gen 
eral  Taylor  had  come,  and  near  which  he  was  stand 
ing,  entered  the  city  on  the  north  side.  It  was  the 
main  thoroughfare  from  Camargo  via  Mier,  Ceralvo, 
and  Marin ;  from  the  east  side  was  the  Guadeloupe 
road ;  and  on  the  west,  coming  toward  the  city  down 
through  a  gorge  and  leaving  the  Obispado  height  to 
the  left,  the  Saltillo  road  made  its  way  along  the  left 
bank  of  the  San  Juan  till  it  disappeared  within  the 
city  limits.  All  the  roads  that  led  to  the  city  from 
the  direction  of  the  Rio  Grande  stopped  there  at 
Monterey,  and  one  issue  only  existed  westward,  and 
that  was  this  Saltillo  pass  or  gorge. 

The  historian  Fry,  to  whom  we  have  before  al 
luded,  who  has  drawn  his  descriptions  either  from 


I $2  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

personal  observation  or  from  the  narrative  of  an  able 
observer,  gives  life  to  the  picture  of  this  beautiful 
valley  in  which  nestles  the  handsome,  compact  city 
of  Monterey.  Speaking  of  the  level  stretch  where 
General  Taylor  was  observing,  he  says:  "  The  plain 
is  varied  with  patches  of  chaparral  and  fields  of  corn 
and  sugar-cane,  and  the  light  of  the  sunny  under 
growth  is  relieved  by  the  umbrage  of  orange,  lemon, 
citron,  and  olive  groves,  and  other  beautiful  natives 
of  that  genial  climate.  The  mountains  which  wall 
up  the  southern  and  western  horizon  rear  their 
rugged  and  mighty  heads  far  above  the  clouds  of  the 
valley,  and  a  single  gorge  marks  the  only  continua 
tion  to  Saltillo  of  the  roads  from  Rio  Grande  which 
coalesce  at  Monterey.  .  .  ."  Speaking  of  the  Citadel, 
or  Black  Fort,  he  says:  "Standing  on  the  plain,  it 
covers  an  area  of  about  three  acres,  the  walls  of  solid 
masonry  thick  and  high,  with  bastions  commanding 
all  approach  from  the  northeast,  the  north,  and  north 
west." 

Besides  the  forts  and  redoubts  which  have  now 
been  named  and  located,  the  Saltillo  approach  had, 
according  to  this  writer,  another  formidable  obstruc 
tion,  viz.,  "  the  walls  of  a  cemetery,  forming  a  strong 
breastwork  with  embrasures."  And  finally,  in  addi 
tion  to  the  carefully  arranged  street  barricades : 
"  Monterey  presents  in  its  plan  and  in  the  form  of 
its  buildings  extraordinary  obstacles  to  an  assault. 
Regularly  laid  out,  a  few  pieces  of  artillery  command 
the  whole  length  of  the  principal  streets.  But  its 
chief  security  is  the  stone  walls  of  the  houses,  which, 
rising  above  the  flat  roofs  and  forming  around 
them  and  the  courts  regular  parapets,  afford 
thorough  protection  to  their  defenders.  Each  dwell- 


MONTEREY    UNDER   FIRE.  153 

ing  is  thus  a  separate  castle,  and  the  whole  city  one 
grand  fortification,  suggested  by  nature  and  consum 
mated  by  art." 

The  earthworks  of  the  Teneria  have  long  before 
to-day  (in  1892)  been  absorbed  by  the  surrounding 
gardens,  but  the  oM  tannery  itself  is  still  standing, 
and  its  thick,  parapet-like  *'  walls,  rising  above  the 
flat  roofs,"  are  still  there  hard  as  granite. 

General  Arista,  after  the  close  of  his  disastrous 
Texas,  Rio  Grande,  campaign,  had  been  relieved  and 
ordered  to  the  capital  of  Mexico,  and  the  defense 
of  Monterey  fell  to  General  Pedro  de  Ampudia.  He 
had,  before  the  engagements,  between  7,000  and 
8,000,  regular  Mexican  troops,  and,  according  to 
estimate,  probably  3,000  militia.  His  forces'  were 
well  armed  and  well  supplied.  His  artillery  num 
bered  forty-two  cannon,  and  was  excellently  dis 
tributed  for  a  stubborn  resistance.  The  hopeful 
spirit  of  Ampudia  is  manifest  in  his  address  to  his 
soldiers  given  on  September  24,  1846.  An  extract 
reads  as  follows : 

"  Soldiers :  The  enemy,  numbering  only  2,500 
regular  troops,  the  remainder  being  only  a  band  of 
adventurers,  without  valor  or  discipline,  are,  accord 
ing  to  reliable  information,  about  advancing  upon 
the  Ceralvo,  to  commit  the  barbarity  of  attacking 
this  most  important  place.  We  count  near  3,000 
regulars  and  auxiliary  cavalry  "  (if  exact,  the  re- 
enforcements  came  later),  "and  these  will  defeat 
them  again  and  again  before  they  can  reach  this 
city.  Soldiers,  we  are  constructing  fortifications, 
to  make  our  base  at  a  convenient  time,  and  drive 
back  this  enemy  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  .  .  ." 
Ampudia  closes  his  address  most  patriotically  : 


154  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

"  Soldiers  !  '  Victory  or  death '  must  be  our  only 
device !  " 

General  Taylor,  as  soon  as  a  careful  reconnaissance, 
conducted  by  that  excellent  officer,  Major  Joseph  K. 
F.  Mansfield,  had  been  added  to  his  own  observation 
and  that  of  some  other  officers  upon  whom  he  relied, 
proceeded  to  form  a  simple  and  sensible  plan  ;  and  it 
was  certainly — like  that  of  Grant  at  Vicksburg — a  bold 
one.  It  was,  to  push  a  force  sufficient  for  the  pur 
pose  around  to  the  right,  beyond  the  city,  make  a' 
lodgment  as  soon  as  possible  upon  the  Loma  del 
Independencia  (the  Obispado),  and  hasten  to  secure 
the  enemy's  only  line  of  retreat — namely,  the  Saltillo 
gorge  and  road.  All  else  was  to  be  subsidiary  to  this 
main  movement — i.  e.,  first,  carefully  to  cover  his  sup 
plies  ;  second,  to  re-enforce  as  needed ;  and,  third,  to 
demonstrate  against  the  north  front  so  strongly  as 
to  hold  a  large  part  of  Ampudia's  men  inside  their 
prepared  defenses,  so  that  he  [Ampudia]  could  not 
strengthen  or  increase  his  defenders  at  the  point  of 
the  principal  attack. 

The  aggregate  under  General  Taylor,  to  a  less 
bold  and  sanguine  spirit,  would  have  caused  at  least 
some  trepidation — 6,645  officers  and  men  !  The  ar 
tillery  was  limited  to  two  twenty-four-pounder  how 
itzers,  four  light  batteries  of  four  and  six  guns,  and 
a  ten-inch  mortar — surely  a  meager  allowance  for 
assaulting  and  carrying  permanent  works  or  for  the 
siege  of  a  well-fortified  place ! 

General  Worth,  who  had  but  recently  returned 
to  the  front,  and  had  not  hitherto  had  part  in  the 
operations,  being  an  officer  of  rank  and  experience, 
was  chosen  by  General  Taylor  and  charged  with  the 
duty  of  the  turning  movement  and  the  main  attack. 


MONTEREY   UNDER   FIRE.  155 

Worth's  division,  as  selected,  was  not  a  large  one. 
It  consisted  of  the  First  Brigade,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Thomas  Staniford,  made  up  as  follows: 
Duncan's  battery;  Child's  battalion  of  artillery, 
armed  as  infantry ;  and  Screven's  Eighth  Infantry. 
Second  Brigade,  under  Colonel  Persifor  F.  Smith, 
to  wit:  Mackall's  battery,  Scott's  Fifth  Infantry, 
Miles's  Seventh  Infantry,  and  Blanchard's  Louisiana 
volunteers.  Worth's  cavalry,  when  he  set  out,  was 
the  regiment  of  Texas  mounted  riflemen,  commanded 
by  Colonel  John  G.  Hays. 

General  Worth  put  his  division  in  motion  from 
Walnut  Springs  about  2  P.  M.  of  the  2oth  of  Septem 
ber.  Captain  John  Sanders,  of  the  engineers,  and 
Lieutenant  George  G.  Meade,  of  the  topographical 
engineers,  then  on  General  Taylor's  staff,  accom 
panied  this  column. 

Worth  for  a  while  made  rather  slow  progress  in 
his  large  detour  well  out  and  along  the  western  front 
of  the  city.  The  object  being  first  to  get  upon 
what  was  called  the  Pezqueria-Grande  road,  it  was 
necessary  for  some  distance  to  construct  a  road-bed 
for  the  cannon  through  soft  fields  of  sugar-cane  and 
grain.  When  darkness  came  on,  the  division  gen 
eral  had  made  only  six  miles,  but  he  had  reached  the 
Pezqueria' roadway.  Here  he  had  come  near  enough 
to  encounter  the  fire  of  the  Obispado  works.  The 
redoubt  "  Independencia  "  was  nearest  and  annoyed 
him  most.  Under  escort  of  the  Texas  riflemen  he 
sought  at  once  to  get  around  behind  that  fort,  to  the 
junction  of  the  Pezqueria  with  the  Saltillo  road. 
Ampudia  had  quickly  understood  the  intention  of 
his  foes,  and  sent  to  that  important  junction  consid 
erable  cavalry  under  command  of  Generals  Romero 


156  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

and  Torrejon,  and  had  also  strengthened  the  Bishop's 
Palace  and  Independencia  by  an  entire  regiment 
of  infantry.  So  General  Worth,  being  too  much 
resisted  for  his  small  escort,  wisely  halted  and  biv 
ouacked  for  the  night.  The  rain  and  the  severe 
cold  of  that  night  are  mentioned  in  the  reports;  but 
probably  these  discomforts  were  about  equally  trying 
to  both  combatants. 

The  only  precautionary  moving  of  other  troops 
than  Worth's  from  their  charming  camp  near  "  El 
Bosque,"  or  the  Walnut  Springs,  except  a  temporary 
showing  about  sundown  of  the  divisions  of  both 
Twiggs  and  Butler  on  that  part  of  the  elevated  plain 
visible  to  the  city  sentinels,  was  Taylor's  sending 
forward  toward  the  north  front  the  Fourth  Regiment 
of  Infantry  to  guard  the  workmen  who  were  planting 
the  ten-inch  mortar  in  a  natural  trench  or  ravine  which 
crossed  the  road  leading  to  the  Citadel,  and  pushing 
up  the  artillerymen  who  were  locating  the  twenty- 
four-pounder  howitzers  in  the  same  neighborhood. 
These  efforts  were  completed  after  dark,  and  had 
the  effect  on  Ampudia's  mind  of  a  threatened  siege, 
or  perhaps  a  meditated  assault  upon  the  Citadel 
itself. 

Such  was  the  preparation.  The  morrow  promised 
a  great  conflict.  Neither  of  the  opposing  generals 
could  be  free  from  an  unusual  anxiety.  Ampudia 
had  the  previously  prepared  positions,  the  superior 
numbers,  and  a  third  more  cannon  than  the  Ameri 
cans.  Taylor  had  a  well-disciplined,  well-organized, 
and  well-commanded  little  army,  full  of  confidence 
in  itself,  and  an  unswerving  trust  in  the  skill  of  its 
officers  and  the  ability  of  its  chief.  Indeed,  these 
forces,  then  and  there,  were  by  no  means  very  un- 


MONTEREY    UNDER   FIRE.  157 

equally  matched,  and  no  man  on  either  side  could 
with  any  assurance  predict  the  consequences  of  the 
movements  already  begun. 

Before  daylight  on  September  2ist  General  Hen 
derson,  who  had  a  detachment  consisting  of  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  May's  Second  Dragoons  and  Colonel 
Wood's  Texas  mounted  volunteers,  by  General  Tay 
lor's  orders  moved  his  little  column  rapidly  over  the 
new  way  that  General  Worth  had  opened  the  pre 
ceding  afternoon,  marching  swiftly  to  strengthen 
Worth's  division.  This  march  of  Henderson  was 
interrupted  by  a  countermanding  order  to  return  to 
the  north  front  of  the  city.  Though  not  that  day 
engaged,  this  column  subserved  the  purpose  of  keep 
ing  up  a  clear  connection  between  Worth's  division 
and  the  remainder  of  the  army  at  a  critical  epoch ; 
and  May's  efficient  dragoons  continued  this  most 
important  guarding  service  to  the  end  of  the  battle. 

The  2ist  had  hardly  dawned  before  the  battle 
was  joined.  Henderson's  cavalry  brigade,  made  up 
partly  from  the  First  Division  (General  Twiggs)  and 
partlyfrom  the  Third  Division  (General  Butler),  had, 
as  we  have  seen,  set  out  to  re-enforce  Worth's  divis 
ion.  A  regiment  of  the  First  Division  was  already  on 
the  front  line  supporting  the  batteries  which  were 
operating  against  the  Citadel.  General  Taylor,  hav 
ing  his  own  plan  strengthened  by  a  request  from 
Worth  to  make"  a  strong  diversion,"  had  General 
Twiggs  push  off  another  force  to  attempt  to  secure 
"  El  Teneria,"  enter  the  city  at  the  east  side,  and,  if 
feasible,  turn  El  Diablo  and  the  Citadel.  It  was  but  a 
diversion  to  help  General  Worth,  so  that  whether  the 
works  were  taken  or  not  was  not  vital  to  the  success 
of  the  day.  The  chosen  brigade,  Lieutenant-Colonel 


158  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Garland's,  consisting  of  the  First  and  Third  Infantry, 
Captain  Bragg's  battery  of  artillery,  and  the  Wash 
ington  and  the  Baltimore  battalion  of  volunteers, 
marched  off  in  fine  style  silently  toward  the  eastern 
quarter  assigned,  the  cautious  Mansfield,  accompanied 
by  Captain  William  G.  Williams  and  Lieut.  John  Pope, 
pointing  the  way.  Garland  had  passed  into  a  corn 
field  and  behind  the  thick  chaparral  without  awaken 
ing  much  opposition  from  front  or  flank,  when  some 
soldiers  of  his  caught  sight  across  the  city  of  General 
Worth's  troops  ascending  the  heights  to  the  south 
west.  The  cheers  for  Worth  that  ensued,  which  no 
body  could  restrain,  are  said  to  have  betrayed  their 
location  and  to  have  drawn  upon  themselves  an  im 
mediate  and  heavy  fire  from  the  forts  and  works 
near  at  hand.  Surely  no  better  diversion  than  this 
could  have  occurred,  though  it  cost  many  lives. 

Before  giving  more  in  detail  an  account  of  the 
fighting  of  Twiggs's  division  and  that  of  its  emulating 
rival,  Butler's  volunteer  division,  it  is  better  first  to 
return  to  General  Worth's  Second  Division  and  see 
how  he  had  carried  forward  the  main  attack.  About 
6  A.  M.  Worth  began  his  march  for  the  Saltillo  road. 
He  set  out  with  two  columns  so  stretched  out  as  to 
form  lines  right,  left,  or  front  at  the  word ;  front 
and  flank  were  covered  by  his  mounted  Texans,  and 
his  light  artillery  was  near  the  head  of  each  column. 
The  quickness  of  those  perfectly  drilled  batteries 
was  most  astonishing  to  the  Mexicans.  They  came 
into  position  at  a  trot,  fired  without  hesitation  so 
rapidly  and  so  accurately,  and  changed  position  so 
soon  wrhen  they  were  annoyed  by  the  enemy's  guns, 
that  the  Mexican  troops  could  not  stand  long  before 
their  surprisingly  effective  discharges. 


MONTEREY    UNDER   FIRE.  159 

As  General  Worth  was  thus  sweeping  across  the 
valley,  not  only  did  the  forts  on  the  Independencia 
Heights  (Obispado)  and  the  two  from  the  foot-hill 
slope  play  upon  his  men,  but  there  issued  from  be 
hind  a  hamlet  not  far  from  the  road-crossing  a 
heavy  column  of  Mexican  cavalry  under  General 
Romero,  the  brave  Colonel  Juan  Najera  with  his 
Jalisco  Lancers  in  the  advance.  The  Texas  rifle 
men  against  these  were  the  first  in  action.  The  light 
companies  of  the  regular  regiments,  in  skirmish  or 
der,  supported  the  Texans,  and,  even  before  the 
Mexicans  could  deploy  and  begin  their  fire,  Duncan 
had  brought  his  superb  battery  into  action  and  com 
menced  his  swift  resistance  ;  Mackall's  was  not  many 
minutes  behind  him  in  artillery  practice.  The  lead 
ing  brigade  (Lieutenant-Colonel  Staniford's  First) 
had  time  to  deploy  its  line  and  when  within  close 
range  open  a  rapid  and  continuous  musketry  fire. 
Before  twenty  minutes  the  attacking  force  of  Mexi 
cans  was  broken  and  dispersed,  leaving  upon  the 
field  a  large  number  of  killed  and  wounded.  Colonel 
Juan  Najera  and  a  hundred  Mexicans  here  lost  their 
lives.  The  First  Brigade,  the  Second  being  kept  for 
the  time  in  reserve,  let  no  time  go  to  waste.  They, 
with  their  mounted  comrades,  drove  on  so  fast  that 
they  caught  many  prisoners,  and,  what  was  of  most 
consequence,  secured  the  Saltillo  road  and  gorge, 
and  so  cut  off  the  enemy's  only  line  of  retreat  or 
supply. 

Now,  General  Worth  from  the  gorge  naturally 
turned  his  face  straight  toward  the  city  and  made 
his  way  slowly,  skirmishing  and  observing  as  he 
went.  His  engineer  officers  assured  him  that  it 
would  be  foolhardy  to  undertake  the  city  itself  till 


l6o  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

the  protecting  redoubts — two,  Federacion  and  Sol- 
dado  on  the  mountain  foot-hill  spur  to  his  right, 
and  the  Independencia  redoubt  and  the  Bishop's 
Palace  and  Chapel,  converted  into  a  strong  work,  on 
the  Obispado  knoll  to  his  left — were  captured.  And, 
furthermore,  the  straight  road  was  shut  up  by  lower 
batteries  at  or  near  the  cemetery,  and  by  musketry 
everywhere  behind  safe  barricades  along  the  city 
front.  He  instantly  ordered  his  officers  to  get  ready 
and  attempt  the  mountain  forts  first. 

Captain  Charles  F.  Smith,  who  at  the  beginning 
of  our  late  civil  war  ranked  among  the  best  of  our 
leaders,  was  put  in  charge  of  a  special  assaulting 
column.  This  force  was  made  up  of  two  companies 
(as  infantry)  of  the  Fourth  and  one  company  each 
of  the  Second  and  Third  Artillery;  also  Major  Chev- 
alie,  acting  in  support  with  six  companies  of  the 
Texas  riflemen.  There  were  a  little  more  than  three 
hundred  men.  Federacion  was  to  give  the  first  trial 
of  arms.  Methinks  I  see  this  little  band  as  they  de 
ploy  at  the  base  of  the  mountain  spur.  There  is  no 
straggling;  there  is  no  delay.  As  one  man  they  com 
mence  the  toilsome  ascent.  Fry  says  of  them : 
"  Upward  they  went,  breasting  sometimes  the  plung 
ing  discharges  of  the  enemy's  batteries  high  above 
them,  and  sometimes  screened  for  a  moment  by  a 
protecting  rock  or  a  cluster  of  underwood.  Occa 
sionally  they  paused  to  return  the  fire,  and  in  a  mo 
ment  were  again  climbing  the  rugged  and  perilous 
steep,  from  whose  crowning  crest  balls  of  iron  and 
copper  rained  upon  them." 

The  Mexicans  did  their  best.  Their  men  of  the 
light  troops,  seeking  cover  outside  the  works,  picked 
off  not  a  few  ;  but  doubtless  here,  as  elsewhere,  high 


MONTEREY   UNDER    FIRE.  161 

and  steep  hills  were  not  the  most  favorable  for  the 
defense.  Neithei  cannon  nor  small  arms  were  suffi 
ciently  depressed  for  the  best  execution.  General 
Worth,  perceiving  the  difficulties  to  be  met  when 
Captain  Smith  with  his  handful  of  heroes  had  fairly 
reached  the  crest,  with  such  numbers  swarming 
against  him,  promptly  sent  forward  the  Seventh  In 
fantry.  This  regiment  had  not  gone  far  up  the  as 
cent  before  the  anxious  general,  calling  to  him  Colo 
nel  Persifor  F.  Smith,  directed  him  to  take  the  Fifth 
Infantry  and  the  Louisiana  regiment,  hasten  on,  and 
make  assurance  doubly  sure.  Colonel  Smith,  in  no 
way  reluctant,  made  all  speed.  With  such  a  support, 
and  full  of  emulation,  the  advance  did  nowhere  delay 
long.  They  ran  straight  upon  the  outside  Mexican 
supports,  they  mingled  with  them,  and  charged  with 
them  at  once  over  the  parapets,  which,  fortunately, 
were  not  high  and  steep  enough  to  prevent.  A  panic 
now  seized  their  enemies,  and  they  ran  in  utter  dis 
order  down  the  opposite  slope  of  the  foot-hill  spur. 
Cheer  followed  cheer  as  the  flag  of  Mexico  came 
down  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  went  up  to  the  top 
of  the  flag-staff. 

Seeing  the  likelihood  of  the  three  hundred  getting 
the  first  prize,  Colonel  Persifor  F.  Smith  turned  part 
of  his  force  with  orders  to  pass  into  the  separating 
ravine  and  make  for  Soldado.  Here,  now,  Colonel 
Smith  and  his  men  were  on  the  lead,  but  the  gallant 
Captain  Smith  quickly  lent  them  aid.  He  turned  the 
cannon  of  Federacion  upon  Soldado,  and  sent  over  a 
support  that  might  be  needed. 

The  story  of  the  next  capture  is  about  the  same 
as  the  last.  The  soldiers  toiled  up  the  steeps,  getting 
all  the  cover  they  could  and  firing  up  against  a 


162  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

ceaseless  discharge  of  heavy  guns  and  musketry,  till 
they  came  to  within  fifty  or  sixty  yards  of  the  crest ; 
then  accumulating  their  strength,  with  a  shout  and  an 
old-fashioned  charge  they  cleared  all  obstacles  and 
took  the  fort,  turning  some  of  the  cannon  left  loaded 
against  their  fleeing  foes.  Soon  these  pieces  were  re 
loaded  and  opened  upon  the  Bishop's  Palace  and  In- 
dependencia  redoubt,  from  which  they  received  an 
instant  and  hostile  reply.  The  reserves  of  regulars 
and  volunteers,  including  the  artillery  of  Duncan  and 
Mackall,  under  the  keen  eye  of  General  Worth,  had 
watched  and  guarded  the  rear  of  the  attacking 
troops.  They  had  all  the  afternoon  repulsed  or 
checked  every  effort  of  Torrejon  to  interpose  a 
Mexican  force  of  cavalry  between  the  gorge  and  the 
the  forts  upon  the  mountain  spur  that  we  have  seen 
so  successfully  assailed. 

All  day  without  food;  in  the  cold  rain  with  little 
or  no  cover  the  night  of  the  2oth  ;  fighting  and  toil 
ing  up  the  steeps  for  hours,  with  the  dead  and  dying 
marking  their  progressive  steps  all  the  2 ist;  and  now, 
as  the  sun  went  down,  exposed  to  a  violent  storm, 
the  gallant  soldiers  of  Worth  had,  it  would  seem,  no 
common  hardships  to  bear  ;  but  the  joy  of  a  great 
victory  was  so  great  that  it  made  the  hardships  seem 
a  pleasure  ;  and  even  the  wild  storm  did  not  abate 
the  expressions  of  their  triumph. 

The  aiding  forces  of  Twiggs  and  Butler,  in  the 
immediate  presence  of  General  Taylor  on  the  north 
east  portion  of  the  city,  have  had  even  harder  tasks, 
though  such  was  not  originally  contemplated  in  Gen 
eral  Taylor's  simple  plan  of  attack.  But  no  human 
will,  however  strong,  can  control  all  the  details  of  a 
battle.  A  plan  may  be  wise,  and  every  effort  be 


MONTEREY    UNDER   FIRE.  163 

made  to  carry  it  into  effective  execution,  yet  some 
slight  misunderstanding  or  sudden  dash  of  the  enemy 
may  disconcert  the  whole  preliminary  arrangement. 
That  the  plan  for  taking  Monterey  could  have  been 
so  thoroughly  adhered  to  throughout  is  a  marvel. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  storming  and  capture  of  Monterey  (continued) — Story  of  the 
north  front — Baltimore  and  Washington  volunteers  break 
— Regulars  worked  forward  under  great  resistance  into  Mon 
terey — Brilliant  work  of  Captain  Backus — Lieutenant-Colo 
nel  Garland  withdraws  his  men — Terrible  encounter  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry — General  Quitman  surprises  his  foes,  who 
abandon  their  wounded  and  flee — General  Butler  and  Colonel 
Mitchell  wounded — Lieutenant-Colonel  Garland  again — The 
strong  diversion  accomplished — The  night  rest  at  El  Bosque 
— Prolonged  through  the  22d  of  September — Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Child's  night  march  and  morning  assault — The  re 
doubt  upon  Loma  de  Independencia  captured  at  dawn — 
Bishop's  Palace  taken — A  combined  Mexican  effort — How  met 
by  General  Worth  and  defeated — General  Morales's  proposal 
miscarried — General  Taylor  and  Jefferson  Davis — Ampudia's 
letter — Taylor's  reply — Preliminaries  to  the  armistice  and 
capitulation — The  terms  agreed  upon. 

Now  let  us  go  back  to  Garland.  After  the  cheer 
ing  of  his  men  as  they  caught  the  first  glimpse  of 
their  companions  on  the  high  ground  beyond  the 
city,  he  made  an  immediate  deployment  fronting  El 
Teneria,  Major  William  W.  Lear's  Third  Infantry 
occupying  the  right,  Major  John  J.  Abercrombie's 
First  Infantry  the  center,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Watson's  Baltimore  and  Washington  volunteers  the 
left.  This  line,  with  its  advanced  guard  well  ahead, 
and  Bragg's  battery  near  the  right,  moved  toward  the 


THE    FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  165 

fort  at  a  quick  step.  The  fire  from -El  Teneria  was 
kept  up  against  their  front,  and  their  right  flank  was 
especially  exposed  to  the  cannonade  from  the  Citadel. 
This  increasing  danger  was  aggravated  by  an  order 
for  the  whole  detachment  to  change  direction  more  to 
their  right.  In  Lieutenant-Colonel  Watson's  effort 
to  manoeuvre  the  volunteers  they  broke  up  and  the 
majority  ran  to  the  rear,  some  seeking  the  first  sub 
stantial  cover  at  hand,  while  others  continued  their 
retreat  to  the  camp  at  El  Bosque.  Deserted  by 
the  Washington  and  Baltimore  volunteers,  except 
by  its  gallant  commander  and  some  seventy  brave 
men,  the  remainder,  the  regulars,  worked  their  way 
forward  into  the  suburbs  under  fearful  resistance, 
over  light  intrenchments,  then  across  to  a  ditch  and 
into  the  edge  of  the  city. 

Captain  Electus  Backus,  of  the  First  Infantry, 
with  Mansfield,  became  the  brilliant  point  in  these 
operations.  He  gained  the  roof  of  the  tannery 
proper,  a  sort  of  sentinel  post  in  rear  of  the  Teneria 
redoubt,  by  a  quick  movement,  capturing  a  number 
of  prisoners ;  and  he,  having  less  than  one  hundred 
men,  with  another  captain,  J.  M.  Scott,  remained  in 
that  singular  corner  exposed  to  the  fire  of  this 
Teneria  redoubt  and  Diablo  for  some  time.  Here 
discovering  that  a  suburban  distillery  was  another 
sentinel  post  behind  the  Teneria  redoubt,  he  had  his 
men  concentrate  their  fire  on  that. 

Captain  Joseph  H.  La  Motte's  company  of  the 
same  regiment  appears  here  to  have  been  incorpo 
rated  with  these  two,  after  great  losses,  including 
that  of  La  Motte,  wounded  twice  in  this  vicinity.  By 
ten  o'clock  the  distillery,  that  had  been  filled  with 
Mexican  soldiers  and  many  women  and  children,  was 


1 66  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

entirely  evacuated.  The  party  had  run  in  terror 
and  confusion  to  the  shelter  of  Rincon  del  Diablo. 
Thus  Captain  Backus  secured  the  entering  wedge 
for  his  general  to  the  main  work,  El  Teneria. 

Now,  a  little  after  ten,  came  a  backset.  Major 
Mansfield  made  up  his  mind  that  the  forts  on  the 
north  front  could  not  be  carried,  and  that  it  was  a 
waste  of  life  to  stay  there  in  the  city ;  so  Garland, 
under  Mansfield's  advice,  began  to  withdraw  his  de 
tachment  very  steadily.  But  our  gallant  Captain 
Backus,  who  once  or  twice  debouched  to  harass  his 
foe,  fortunately  did  not  receive  any  orders  to  retire. 
He  greatly  strengthened  his  defense  in  the  tannery 
and  the  distillery,  and  stood  fast. 

General  Taylor,  seeing  how  hard  pressed  Gar 
land  was,  who  had  pushed  so  well  into  the  city,  had 
ordered  up  the  Fourth  Infantry,  also  Colonel  Mit 
chell's  Ohio  regiment,  Colonel  Campbell's  Tennessee 
regiment,  and  Colonel  Davis's  Mississippi  rifles  in 
support,  the  Ohioans  to  aid  Bragg's  battery,  and  the 
other  (Quitman's  brigade)  to  follow  the  Fourth  In 
fantry  toward  the  left.  General  Butler,  the  division 
commander,  accompanied  the  Ohio  troops.  They 
came  a  little  too  late  to  save  the  front  positions  that 
Garland  had  reached.  The  three  companies  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry  in  the  advance  encountered  in  front 
of  the  terrible  El  Teneria  a  most  murderous  dis 
charge  of  guns  from  the  now  re-enforced  and  confident 
enemy.  Nearly  a  third  of  the  officers  and  men  were 
killed  and  wounded. 

Naturally  enough,  El  Teneria  opened  her  gate 
way,  pushed  out  a  part  of  the  artillery,  and  began  to 
play  upon  Captain  Backus'scompanies  at  the  distillery. 
Backus's  men  made  return.  The  battery  lost  heavily, 


THE    FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  167 

and  the  Teneria  garrison  began  to  lose  many  of  its 
defenders,  when,  to  the  joy  of  Backus's  devoted  band, 
they  saw  General  Quitman  moving  his  brigade 
straight  upon  El  Teneria.  Being  partially  occupied 
with  Backus,  the  Mexican  garrison  was  quickly  de 
feated.  The  Mexicans  fled,  even  abandoning  their 
wounded  comrades,  fleeing  as  rapidly  as  they  could 
to  El  Diablo.  Captain  Backus  pressed  the  fugitives 
hard  as  they  crossed  the  creek,  and  captured  some 
twenty  soldiers  from  the  mass. 

Meanwhile  General  Butler,  Quitman's  division 
commander,  moved  against  the  city  more  directly 
with  his  Ohio  troops  of  Hamer's  brigade;  but  the 
engineer  officer  thinking  there  would  be  too  great 
loss  there  against  the  heavily  manned  defenses, 
General  Taylor  ordered  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops. 
The  withdrawal  was  commenced,  but,  immediately 
the  order  for  it  was  countermanded,  Quitman's  cap 
ture  of  the  Teneria  redoubt  having  been  at  that  mo 
ment  reported  to  General  Taylor. 

Butler  made  another  effort,  pushing  into  a  posi 
tion  intermediary  between  the  bridge-head  and  Rincon 
del  Diablo.  From  the  bridge-head  the  cross-fire  was 
too  hot  to  be  endured.  Among  others  who  fell  here, 
General  Butler  himself,  the  colonel  (Mitchell)  of  the 
Ohio  regiment,  and  his  adjutant,  were  seriously 
wounded  ;  and  in  consequence  of  these  losses,  and 
with  no  gain  apparent  to  them,  the  devoted  men 
were  drawn  back  to  the  plain.  A  writer  says  this 
move  was  made  "  amidst  the  vivas  of  the  enemy ; 
and  the  bells  of  the  cathedral  rang  a  merry  peal  in 
evidence  of  the  general  joy."  A  cavalry  charge  of 
two  regiments  of  Mexican  lancers,  under  General 
Conde,  followed  up  this  repulse  and  retreat.  The 


1 68  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Ohioans,  aided  by  our  batteries,  ran  to  a  neighboring 
hedge,  faced  about,  and  fired  rapidly  till  they  had 
driven  Conde's  cavalry  back  and  out  of  sight. 
After  the  withdrawal  of  the  Ohio  regiment  by  Gen 
eral  Hamer,  to  whom  General  Butler  when  wounded 
had  turned  over  the  command,  the  situation  was  as 
follows  :  Quitman's  brigade  of  volunteers  and  com 
panies  of  the  three  regular  regiments  had  taken 
cover  in  the  Teneria  redoubt  and  buildings  near  it. 
They  were  receiving  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Rincon 
del  Diablo  and  the  occupied  houses  toward  the 
Purisima  bridge.  General  Twiggs,  although  quite 
ill,  arrived  at  this  time  and  caused  the  captured 
artillery — served  by  Randolph  Ridgely,  who  had 
been  since  Palo  Alto  promoted  a  brevet  captain  and 
assistant  adjutant-general,  but  readily  went  back  to 
artillery  work — to  fire  upon  the  next  redoubt  until 
the  arrival  of  Captain  Webster  with  the  twenty-four- 
pounder  howitzer.  Bragg's  battery  during  the  same 
period  was  firing  into  the  city  from  near  the  same 
point.  A  salient  of  the  defenses  of  Monterey,  with 
the  Teneria  redoubt  as  its  apex,  had  been  captured 
and  was  firmly  held.  At  last,  between  one  and  two 
o'clock,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Garland,  with  praise 
worthy  perseverance,  gathered  the  scattered  por 
tions  of  his  command  of  the  morning  and  made 
another  effort.  Under  instructions  from  General  Tay 
lor,  he  was  to  enter  the  city  and  attempt  Fort  Rin 
con  del  Diablo.  Garland,  speaking  of  the  two  parts 
of  his  detachment  in  his  report,  says:  "These  two 
commands,  although  few  in  number,  sustained  them 
selves  in  the  most  admirable  manner  under  the 
heaviest  fire  of  the  day,"  for  the  fort  (Diablo),  the 
bridge-head,  and  a  fresh  battery,  but  one  hundred 


THE    FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  169 

yards  away,  all  concentrated  upon  them  a  continu 
ous  and  destructive  fire. 

After  very  heavy  losses  in  officers  and  men  and 
the  expenditure  of  his  ammunition,  he  writes  :  "  I 
reluctantly  ordered  the  Spartan  band  to  retire,  and 
I  am  truly  proud  to  say,  under  all  their  afflictions,  it 
was  accomplished  in  good  order."  General  Taylor, 
doubtless  seeing  that  Garland  was  greatly  disap 
pointed  that  he  had  been  twice  repulsed  and  forced 
to  retire  before  the  Mexicans,  showed  his  confidence 
in  him  by  giving  him  the  command  for  the  night  of 
a  front  line  composed  of  the  First  Kentucky,  the 
regular  infantry  of  Twiggs's  division,  and  Randolph 
Ridgely's  improvised  battery. 

Just  at.  dark,  as  a  heavy  storm  of  rain,  the  ordinary 
sequence  of  continued  cannonading,  set  in,  Ampudia 
made  one  more  attempt  to  regain  some  of  his  lost 
ground.  From  the  southeast  corner  of  the  city, 
crossing  the  San  Juan,  the  Mexicans  made  a  sud 
den  display  of  cavalry ;  but  the  well-served  battery 
of  Ridgely,  quickly  leaving  El  Teneria,  chose  a 
favorable  position  and  opened  its  guns  upon  the 
swift-comers.  The  rapid  fire  soon  checked  their 
advance  and  drove  them  from  the  field. 

Thus  during  this  memorable  day  had  General 
Taylor  fully  complied  with  his  promise  to  make  a 
strong  diversion  on  the  northern  and  eastern  fronts 
of  the  city,  in  order  to  keep  the  enemy  engaged  there, 
while  the  faithful  Worth  and  his  brave  men  were  exe 
cuting  their — the  most  important — part  of  the  plan. 
Butler  and  Twiggs  had,  under  his  eye,  charged  the 
most  formidable  works,  had  got  possession  of  the 
tannery,  the  distillery,  and  the  Teneria  redoubt,  and 
so  had  made  a  strong  lodgment  in  the  city  itself. 


1 70  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

While  Worth's  tired  but  victorious  soldiers  were 
sleeping  in  the  rain  where  they  fought,  their  com 
rades,  except  Garland's  front  line,  went  back  to 
get  rest  and  refreshment  at  El  Bosque  or  Walnut 
Springs.  The  night  that  followed  was  a  hard  one 
for  the  wounded.  These  pallid  sufferers  always 
plead  against  the  arbitrament  of  war — and  certain 
ly  the  field  of  Monterey  that  night  of  September 
21,  1846,  furnished  most  touching  arguments  for 
peace  and  good-will  among  men.  The  previous 
hard  fighting,  the  extraordinary  excitement  under 
alternate  success  and  repulse,  the  long  distance  to 
the  camp  at  El  Bosque,  occasioning  morning  and 
evening  lengthy  marches,  had  so  much  weakened  the 
men — that  is,  those  left  after  the  dreadful  loss  of 
life — that  General  Taylor  concluded,  cost  what  it 
might,  to  let  Butler's  and  Twiggs's  divisions  have  a 
rest  during  the  whole  of  the  22d.  The  light 
batteries  of  Bragg  and  Ridgely,  the  heavy  guns  in 
the  ravine  which  fronts  the  Citadel,  and  the  mortar 
battery,  all  of  which  had  been  here  and  there  in 
constant  requisition  and  use  from  the  beginning, 
were,  of  course,  in  their  places  on  the  front  lines  and 
always  well  supported  by  regular  troops,  so  that  no 
ground  already  held  would  be  lost ;  and  the  enemy 
would  not  dare  diminish  any  in  proximity,  for  Tay 
lor's  active  and  watchful  front-line  men  would  quick 
ly  see  and  take  advantage  of  such  withdrawals.  So 
that,  as  we  have  said,  further  demonstrations  and 
diversions  were  wisely  postponed  till  General  Worth 
could  complete  his  great  work  undertaken  outside  of 
Monterey. 

General     Worth     selected     Lieutenant  -  Colonel 
Childs  to  command  an  expedition  that  required  all 


THE   FALL   OF   MONTEREY.  171 

the  resources  of  an  able  and  experienced  soldier. 
He  put  under  him  one  company  of  the  artillery,  two 
companies  of  the  Fourth  and  three  of  the  Eighth  In 
fantry,  the  six  together  to  be  led  by  Captain  Screven. 
In  addition  were  two  hundred  Texas  riflemen  under 
Colonel  Hays.  The  first  order  to  Childs  was  to 
take  the  Independencia  redoubt.  The  expedition  be 
gan  the  ascent  of  the  hill  toward  the  fort  before  the 
dawn.  After  the  heavy  rain  the  air  was  misty,  and  at 
the  crest  very  dark  with  clouds.  Steadily  and  silently 
the  men  made  their  way  up  the  rough  ascent  till  with 
in  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  of  the  outworks  of  the 
fort,  when  they  received  from  a  watching  force  of 
Mexicans  a  fire  in  their  faces  ;  but  this  did  not 
stagger  any  except  the  few  who  were  hit.  Quick  as 
thought,  after  a  return  volley,  Childs's  order  to  charge 
was  repeated  by  the  almost  breathless  officers,  when 
all  sprang  forward  as  one  man,  mingled  with  the  re 
treating  foe,  and  rushed  into  the  fort.  The  Mexican 
garrison  lost  no  time  in  running  pell-mell  down  the 
opposite  side  of  the  slopes,  making  all  haste  for  the 
Bishop's  Palace. 

As  the  sun  rose  above  the  horizon  that  morning 
and  cleared  away  the  clouds  and  mists  from  Obis- 
pado,  the  Stars  and  Stripes  were  seen  waving  from 
the  flag-staff  of  Independencia.  General  Worth  was 
not  a  little  disappointed  to  find  that  the  Mexicans 
had  during  the  night  removed  all  the  artillery  from 
the  fort  to  the  Palace.  The  Bishop's  Palace,  though 
neither  a  fort  nor  a  redoubt,  was  a  very  strong  bar 
ricaded  place.  It  had  thick  defensive  walls  of 
masonry,  and  they  were  now  defended  by  at  least 
three  cannon  and  plenty  of  musketry. 

The  Independencia  redoubt  dominated  the  posi- 


172  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

tion.  Lieutenant  John  F.  Roland,  of  Duncan's  bat 
tery,  guided  by  Captain  Sanders,  of  the  Engineer 
Corps,  who  had  found  a  practicable  path  to  climb, 
soon  succeeded  in  lifting  and  dragging  a  twelve- 
pounder  howitzer  to  the  fort,  and  then  so  placed 
it  under  good  cover  as  to  fire  shells  into  the  inner 
circles  of  the  Bishop's  Palace  —  the  distance  was 
perhaps  four  hundred  and  twenty  yards — with  a 
plunging  fire.  The  ordnance  at  the  Palace  could 
make  no  effective  return,  so  that  the  officer  in  com 
mand  at  once  saw  the  absolute  necessity  of  retaking 
Independencia  redoubt.  General  Worth,  seeing  sev 
eral  attempts  undertaken  by  the  Mexicans  which 
Colonel  Childs's  men  had  thus  far  repelled,  and  no 
ticing  a  further  more  concerted  preparation  to  gain 
the  lost  fort,  ordered  over  from  the  opposite  ridge 
the  Louisiana  volunteers  and  the  Fifth  Regulars. 
Fortunately,  everything  on  the  Obispado  side  was 
ready,  when  a  large  body  of  Mexican  cavalry  began 
boldly  to  ascend  the  Obispado  hill,  evidently  making 
for  the  fort.  At  the  same  time  a  considerable  force 
of  infantry  issued  from  the  Palace  and  formed  in 
support.  It  was  to  be  a  supreme  effort  to  regain  a 
lost  field. 

Behold  Worth's  preparations !  His  little  army, 
all  that  was  on  that  side  of  the  valley,  was  de 
ployed  near  the  crest  of  the  hill.  Colonel  Hays, 
with  part  of  the  mounted  riflemen,  was  on  one  flank, 
and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Walker,  with  the  remainder, 
on  the  other.  The  whole  front  was  covered  by 
skirmishers  under  Captain  John  R.  Vinton.  As  the 
Mexicans  came  on,  Vinton  skirmished  as  if  on  pa 
rade,  retiring  little  by  little,  till  the  enemy  came 
within  effective  range  of  Worth's  strong  line.  Then 


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THE   FALL   OF   MONTEREY. 


173 


began  one  of  those  destructive  and  continuous  dis 
charges  which,  even  before  the  day  of  breech-load 
ing  guns,  mowed  down  the  opposing  ranks  like  ri 
pened  grain  before  the  scythe.  The  Mexicans  were 
stopped.  They  wavered  a  moment  as  comrades  and 
horses  fell  to  the  ground,  and  then  they  broke  into 
fragments  and  fled  down  the  steeps  toward  the  Pal 
ace  and  toward  the  city.  Worth's  line,  commanded 
by  Childs,  sprang  up  and  followed.  With  those  who 
ran  through  the  gates  of  the  Palace,  Childs's  men  en 
tered,  took  prisoners,  tore  down  the  Mexican  flag, 
hoisted  their  own,  and  at  once  turned  the  guns,  which 
had  been  loaded  to  destroy  them,  against  the  Mexi 
can  masses  that  were  hurrying  down  the  road  and 
paths  to  get  beyond  the  city  barricades  to  safety. 

This  ended  the  first  stage  of  the  main  attack. 
General  Taylor  had  done  two  good  things  in  this 
affair:  first,  he  had  with  great  good  judgment  made 
the  plan,  and,  second,  he  had  committed  the  execution 
to  General  Worth.  He  later  had  exceeded  the  per 
sonal  efforts  of  his  chief  in  one  respect.  He  had 
thus  far  so  arranged  the  order  and  manner  of  his 
assaults  as  to  give  abundant  results  with  but  com 
paratively  small  loss  of  life. 

There  is  little  more  for  this  day,  the  22d.  The 
heavy  guns  that  were  taken  were  put  in  position  for 
the  bombardment  of  the  city  itself,  and  Worth's  di 
vision  was  brought  together  at  the  Bishop's  Palace 
preparatory,  at  the  word,  to  push  into  the  streets  of 
Monterey  and  struggle  for  its  capture. 

General  Taylor  had,  about  mid-day,  sent  Quit- 
man's  brigade  of  Butler's  division  to  relieve  the 
north  front  lines  and  give  the  watchers  there  the 
needed  refreshment  and  rest.  The  batteries  were  so 


174 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


placed  and  covered  by  epaulements  that  they  could 
resist  any  kind  of  sortie  from  the  Citadel  or  from 
the  streets  on  that  side. 

General  Ampudia  had  very  naturally  become 
alarmed  at  the  turn  things  were  taking.  He  had 
evidently  supposed  that  General  Taylor,  with  his  two 
divisions,  was  making  the  main  effort  against  him 
from  the  north  side  of  the  city.  His  soldiers  had 
there  made  a  most  persistent  and  gallant  defense, 
and  they  had  by  no  means  lost  hope  of  holding  out. 
But  General  Worth's  progress  was  deliberate,  guard 
ed,  and  sure.  The  gorge  and  Ampudia's  line  of  sup 
ply  and  retreat  had  been  taken,  and  now  the  four 
strong  places  on  the  southwest  had  fallen  and  their 
armament  was  turned  against  the  city  itself.  The 
morrow  would  see  this  [Worth's]  triumphant  division 
swarming  into  the  city.  There  was  one  hope  for  the 
Mexican  general — namely,  to  concentrate  all  his  force 
within  narrower  limits,  such  as  could  be  held  with 
few  men,  and  so  leave  him  a  strong  movable  force 
with  which  to  attack  General  Worth,  drive  him  back, 
defeat  him  utterly,  and  recover  his  lost  line  of  supply. 
In  keeping  with  this — a  desperate  .resolve — General 
Ampudia  withdrew,  during  the  night  of  the  22d,  the 
garrison  from  Rincon  del  Diablo,  El  Libertad,  and 
from  the  northern  and  eastern  fronts,  except  from 
the  Citadel  itself.  The  inner  lines,  including  all 
street  barricades,  were  diligently  strengthened.  One 
hopeful  measure,  however,  proposed  early  in  the 
morning  of  the  23d,  miscarried ;  it  was  General 
Morales's  application  to  General  Taylor  for  permis 
sion  to  remove  from  the  city  all  the  non-combat 
ants.  It  was  refused. 

At  daylight  of  this  eventful  day  (September  23d) 


THE   FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  175 

General  Taylor  joined  General  Quitman,  now  the 
division  commander,  and  saw  him  move  forward  his 
columns  into  the  city — first,  to  occupy  the  evacu 
ated  works,  and,  second,  to  reconnoiter  as  far  ahead 
as  practicable.  Here  General  Taylor's  enterprising 
son-in-law,  Colonel  Jefferson  Davis,  came  into  promi 
nence.  Quitman  had  sent  him  with  four  or  five 
companies  of  Mississippi  and  Tennessee  volunteers 
to  work  his  way  as  far  as  he  could.  He  did  so ;  but 
soon  the  opposition  from  barricades  and  housetops 
became  so  terrific  that  his  detachment  was  re-en 
forced.  General  Taylor  sent  him  Bragg's  battery 
and  other  supports,  including  the  Third  Regular 
Infantry.  The  troops  slowly  made  their  way,  now 
by  breaking  through  the  yard  house-walls,  now 
by  clearing  the  flat  roofs  and  using  them  like  forts. 
The  resistance  was  strong  and  dogged,  and  only 
yielded  to  superior  numbers  or  to  superior  skill.  At 
last  Colonel  Davis  had  led  his  men  from  house  to 
house,  from  court  to  court,  till  they  were  within  one 
block  of  the  main  plaza. 

Meanwhile  Worth  on  his  side,  after  a  few  hours' 
delay  for  orders,  had  not  been  idle.  He  took  a 
good  place  of  observation,  sending  forward  two  co 
operating  columns  of  attack.  They  were  to  push 
along  the  available  streets  as  far  as  they  could  with 
out  fatal  exposure.  Parties  were  armed  with  iron 
bars,  sledge-hammers,  and  picks,  and  directed  to  do 
as  we  have  seen  Quitman's  men  doing — that  is,  take 
a  house,  break  through  its  walls  and  through  the 
court-walls,  and  so  pass  from  house  to  house  in 
engineering  style.  The  workmen,  probably  the  sap 
pers  and  miners,  were  followed  by  good  marksmen 
who.  kept  their  foes  too  busy  to  hinder  the  work; 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

and  the  marksmen  were  followed  by  cannon  which 
were  distributed  among  the  officers — Duncan,  Ro 
land,  Mackall,  Martin,  and  others — so  that  each 
might  have  only  the  care  of  a  single  piece.  These 
troops,  before  night  of  the  23d,  had,  like  so  many 
moles,  tunneled  their  way  along  till  they  had  come 
to  a  street  but  one  remove  from  the  great  plaza. 

In  all  probability,  General  Taylor— at  night  not 
hearing  from  Worth,  and  not  even  knowing  that  his 
last  instructions,  which  required  concert  of  action 
and  co-operation,  had  reached  him — had  concluded 
that  it  would  be  too  hazardous  to  stay  where  Colonel 
Davis  had  penetrated,  so  that  he  withdrew  all  Quit- 
man's  and  Twiggs's  men  to  the  captured  forts  and 
corresponding  barricades.  But  Worth  kept  open  his 
tunnels  and  remained  in  place  all  night.  His  men 
wanted  the  great  honor  of  seizing  that  principal 
plaza.  That  dreadful  ten-inch  mortar,  cared  for  and 
controlled  by  Major  Monroe,  had  found  its  way 
around  the  suburbs  and  was  sending  shells  from  its 
square  (San  Antonio)  into  the  heart  of  the  city. 
From  one  of  those  flat  roofs  near  by  two  howitzers 
and  another  field-piece  were  noisily  throwing  pro 
jectiles  in  different  directions,  for  they  were  said  to 
dominate  everything  except,  perhaps,  the  Citadel 
itself. 

Not  long  after  this  artillery  began  to  send  forth 
its  missiles  of  destruction,  General  Ampudia,  seeing 
the  hopelessness  of  further  resistance,  on  September 
23,  1846,  at  nine  o'clock  at  night,  penned  the  follow 
ing  good  letter  : 

"  GENERAL  :  As  I  have  made  all  the  defense  of 
which  I  believe  this  city  capable,  I  have  fulfilled  my 


THE   FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  ^7 

obligation,  and  done  all  required  by  that  military 
honor  which,  to  a  certain  degree,  is  common  to  all 
the  armies  of  the  civilized  world;  and  as  a  continua 
tion  of  the  defense  would  only  bring  upon  the  popu 
lation  distress,  to  which  they  have  already  been  suffi 
ciently  subjected  by  the  evils  consequent  upon  war, 
and  believing  that  the  American  Government  will 
appreciate  these  sentiments,  I  propose  to  your  Ex 
cellency  to  evacuate  the  city  and  Citadel,  taking  with 
me  the  personnel  and  materiel  of  war  which  is  left, 
and  under  the  assurance  that  no  prosecution  shall  be 
undertaken  against  the  citizens  who  have  taken  part 
in  the  defense. 

"  Be  pleased  to  accept  the  assurance  of  my  most 
distinguished  consideration. 

"  PEDRO  DE  AMPUDIA. 

"Senor  Don  Z.  TAYLOR,  General-in-Chief  of  the  American  Army" 

This  letter  did  not  go  through  the  lines  till  day 
light.  At  7  A.M.  of  September  24th  General  Taylor 
wrote  his  answer  : 

"  In  answer  to  your  proposition  to  evacute  the 
city  and  fort,  with  all  the  personnel  and  materiel  of 
war,  I  have  to  state  that  my  duty  compels  me  to  de 
cline  acceding  to  it.  A  complete  surrender  of  the 
town  and  garrison,  the  latter  as  prisoners  of  war,  is 
now  demanded.  But  such  surrender  will  be  upon 
terms ;  and  the  gallant  defense  of  the  place,  credit 
able  alike  to  the  Mexican  troops  and  nation,  will 
prompt  me  to  make  those  terms  as  liberal  as  possible. 
The  garrison  will  be  allowed,  at  your  option,  after 
laying  down  its  arms,  to  retire  to  the  interior,  on 
condition  of  not  serving  again  during  the  war  or 


1 78  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

until   regularly  exchanged.     I  need   hardly  say  that 
the  rights  of  non-combatants  will  be  respected. 

"  An  answer  to  this  communication  is  required  by 
twelve  o'clock.  If  you  assent  to  an  accommodation, 
an  officer  will  be  dispatched  at  once,  under  instruc 
tions  to  arrange  the  conditions. 

"  I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"Z.  TAYLOR, 

"Major-General,  U.  S.Army,  Commanding. 
"Senor  Don  PEDRO  AMPUDIA,  General-in-Chief,  Monterey." 

Of  course  this  gentle  non-concurrence  of  General 
Taylor  with  the  conditions  of  the  evacuation  only 
delayed  the  final  consummation.  Hostilities  were  to 
cease  till  noon  of  the  24th.  So  General  Ampudia 
hastened  to  reply,  and  asked,  through  General  Worth, 
for  a  personal  interview  with  the  commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  attacking  army.  In  compliance,  General 
Taylor  immediately  rode  over  to  the  headquarters 
of  his  division  general,  and  the  two  commanders,  at 
ii  A.M.,  met  and  consulted.  The  Mexican  general 
was  no  longer  as  straightforward  as  one  from  his 
letters  would  have  judged  him  to  be.  It  was  now 
news  from  Mexico  which  caused  delay ;  there  was 
there,  so  he  claimed,  a  change  in  the  administration. 
The  original  orders  from  his  capital  were  no  longer 
of  such  mandatory  effect.  He  was,  nevertheless, 
disposed  to  make  terms.  But  after  a  few  minutes' 
conversation  it  was  evident  to  General  Taylor  that 
Ampudia  intended  to  avoid  a  veritable  surrender,  so 
that  the  former  at  once  declared  for  a  continuance 
of  the  battle.  But  before  the  generals  had  separated 
several  Mexican  officers  interceded,  and  effected  a 


THE   FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  179 

compromise  in  the  establishment  of  a  joint  com 
mission,  instructed  to  consider  and  agree,  if  possible, 
upon  terms  of  capitulation. 

Generals  Worth  and  Henderson  and  Colonel 
Jefferson  Davis  represented  General  Taylor,  while 
Generals  Ortega  and  Raquena  and  the  Governor  of 
Nueva  Leon,  Sefior  Llano,  represented  the  Mexican 
commander. 

Taylor's  demands  were  set  forth,  simply  and 
briefly,  in  six  propositions,  viz. : 

"  I.  As  the  legitimate  result  of  the  operations  be 
fore  this  place,  and  the  present  position  of  the  con 
tending  armies,  we  demand  the  surrender  of  the 
town,  the  arms  and  munitions  of  war,  and  all  other 
public  property  within  the  place. 

"  II.  That  the  Mexican  armed  force  retire  beyond 
the  Rinconada,  Linares,  and  San  Fernando,  on  the 
coast. 

"  III.  The  commanding  general  of  the  army  of 
the  United  States  agrees  that  the  Mexican  officers 
reserve  their  side-arms  and  private  baggage,  and 
the  troops  be  allowed  to  retire  under  their  officers 
without  parole,  a  reasonable  time  being  allowed  to 
withdraw  the  forces. 

"  IV.  The  immediate  delivery  of  the  main  work, 
now  occupied,  to  the  army  of  the  United  States. 

"  V.  To  avoid  collisions,  and  for  mutual  conven 
ience,  that  the  troops  of  the  United  States  shall  not 
occupy  the  town  until  the  Mexican  forces  have  been 
withdrawn,  except  for  hospital  purposes,  store 
houses,  etc. 

"VI.  The  commanding  general  of  the  United 
States  agrees  not  to  advance  beyond  the  line  speci 
fied  in  the  second  section  before  the  expiration  of 


I  SO  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

eight  weeks,  or  until  the  respective  governments 
can  be  heard  from." 

Ampudia's  commissioners  would  not  at  first  fully 
agree  to  these  terms.  Jefferson  Davis's  subsequent 
celebrity  renders  his  minutes  upon  the  work  of  this 
joint  commission  of  perhaps  an  increased  interest. 
His  notes  are  as  follows  : 

"  Upon  returning  to  the  reception-room,  after  the 
fact  had  been  announced  that  the  commissioners 
could  not  agree  upon  terms,  General  Ampudia  en 
tered  at  length  upon  the  question,  treating  the  point 
of  disagreement  as  one  which  involved  the  honor  of 
his  country,  spoke  of  his  desire  for  a  settlement 
without  further  bloodshed,  and  said  he  did  riot  care 
about  the  pieces  of  artillery  which  he  had  at  the 
place.  General  Taylor  responded  to  the  wish  to 
avoid  unnecessary  bloodshed.  It  was  agreed  that 
the  commission  should  reassemble,  and  we  were  in 
structed  to  concede  the  small  arms;  and  I  supposed 
there  would  be  no  question  about  the  artillery.  The 
Mexican  commissioners  now  urged  that,  as  all  other 
arms  had  been  recognized,  it  would  be  discreditable 
to  the  artillery  if  required  to  march  out  without  any 
thing  to  represent  their  arm,  and  stated,  in  answer 
to  an  inquiry,  that  they  had  a  battery  of  light  artil 
lery,  manoeuvred  and  equipped  as  such.  The  com 
mission  again  arose,  and  reported  the  disagreement 
on  the  point  of  artillery. 

"  General  Taylor  hearing  that  no  more  was  de 
manded  than  the  middle  ground,  upon  which,  in  a 
spirit  of  generosity,  he  had  agreed  to  place  the  ca 
pitulation,  announced  the  conference  at  an  end,  and 
rose  in  a  manner  which  showed  his  determination  to 
talk  no  more.  As  he  crossed  the  room  to  leave  it, 


THE    FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  jgj 

one  of  the  Mexican  commissioners  addressed  him, 
and  some  conversation  which  I  did  not  hear  ensued. 
General  Worth  asked  permission  of  General  Taylor, 
and  addressed  some  remarks  to  General  Ampudia, 
the    spirit    of   which    was   that    he    had   manifested 
throughout  the  negotiation — viz.,  generosity  and  le 
niency,  and  a  desire   to  spare  the  further  effusion  of 
blood.    The  commission  reassembled,  and  the  points 
of  capitulation  were  agreed  upon.     After  a  short  re 
cess  we  again  repaired  to  the  room  in  which  we  had 
parted  from  the  Mexican  commissioners ;  they  were 
tardy  in  joining  us,  and  slow  in  executing  the  instru 
ment   of    capitulation.       The    seventh,    eighth,    and 
ninth  articles  were  added  during  this  session.     At  a 
late  hour  the  English  original  was  handed  to   Gen 
eral  Taylor  for  his  examination,  the  Spanish  origi 
nal  having  been  sent  to  General  Ampudia.    General 
Taylor  signed  and   delivered  to  me  the  instrument 
as  it  was  submitted  to  him,  and  I  returned  to  receive 
the  Spanish  copy  with  the  signature  of  General  Am 
pudia,  and  send  that  having  General  Taylor's  signa 
ture,  that  each  general  might  countersign  the  origi 
nal  to  be  retained  by  the  other.     General  Ampudia 
did   not  sign  the   instrument,  as  was  expected,  but 
came  himself  to  meet  the  commissioners.     He  raised 
many  points  which  had  been  settled,  and  evinced  a 
disposition  to   make  the  Spanish  differ  in  essential 
points  from  the  English  instrument.    General  Worth 
was  absent.      Finally  he  was  required  to  sign  the  in 
strument   prepared  for  his  own   commissioners,  and 
the  English  original  was  left  with  him,  that  he  might 
have  it  translated  (which  he  promised  to  do    that 
night)  and  be  ready  the  next  morning,  with  a  Spanish 
duplicate  of  the   English  instrument  left  with  him. 
13 


!g2  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

By  this  means  the  two  instruments  would  be  made 
to  correspond,  and  he  be  compelled  to  admit  his 
knowledge  of  the  contents  of  the  English  original 
before  he  signed  it. 

"  The  next  morning  the  commissioners  again  met ; 
again  the  attempt  was  made,  as  had  been  often  done 
before  by  solicitation,  to  gain  some  grant  in  addi 
tion  to  the  compact.  Thus  we  had,  at  their  request, 
adopted  the  word  capitulation  in  lieu  of  surrender ; 
they  now  wished  to  submit  stipulation  for  capitula 
tion.  It  finally  became  necessary  to  make  a  per 
emptory  demand  for  the  immediate  signing  of  the 
English  instrument  by  General  Ampudia,  and  the 
literal  translation  (now  perfected)  by  the  commis 
sioners  and  their  general.  The  Spanish  instrument 
first  signed  by  General  Ampudia  was  destroyed  in 
presence  of  his  commissioners ;  the  translation  of 
our  own  instrument  was  countersigned  by  General 
Taylor,  and  delivered.  The  agreement  was  com 
plete,  and  it  only  remained  to  execute  the  terms." 

The  instrument  itself  is: 

"  Terms  of  capitulation  of  the  city  of  Monterey, 
the  capital  of  Nueva  Leon,  agreed  upon  by  the  un 
dersigned  commissioners,  to  wit :  General  Worth,  of 
the  United  States  Army,  General  Henderson,  of  the 
Texas  Volunteers,  and  Colonel  Davis,  of  the  Mis 
sissippi  Riflemen,  on  the  part  of  Major -General 
Taylor,  commanding  the  United  States  forces;  and 
General  Raquena  and  General  Ortega,  of  the  Army 
of  Mexico,  and  Sefior  Manuel  M.  Llano,  Governor 
of  Nueva  Leon,  on  the  part  of  Sefior  Don  Pedro 
Ampudia,  general-in-chief  of  the  army  of  the  north 
of  Mexico. 

"Art.  i.  As  the  legitimate  result  of  the  opera- 


THE   FALL   OF    MONTEREY.  jg^ 

tions  before  this  place,  and  the  present  condition  of 
the  contending  armies,  it  is  agreed  that  the  city,  the 
fortifications,  cannon,  the  munitions  of  war,  and  all 
other  public  property,  with  the  undermentioned  ex 
ceptions,  be  surrendered  to  the  commanding-general 
of  the  United  States  forces  now  at  Monterey. 

"Art.  2.  That  the  Mexican  forces  be  allowed  to 
retain  the  following  arms,  to  wit :  the  commissioned 
officers  their  side-arms,  the  infantry  their  arms  and 
accoutrements,  the  cavalry  their  arms  and  accoutre 
ments,  the  artillery  one  field  battery,  not  to  exceed 
six  pieces,  with  twenty  -  one  rounds  of  ammu 
nition. 

"Art.  3.  That  the  Mexican  armed  forces  retire, 
within  seven  days  from  this  date,  beyond  the  line 
formed  by  the  pass  of  the  Rinconada,  the  city  of 
Linares,  and  San  Fernando  de  Pusas. 

"  Art.  4.  That  the  Citadel  at  Monterey  be  evac 
uated  by  the  Mexican  and  occupied  by  the  Ameri 
can  forces  to-morrow  morning  at  ten  o'clock. 

"  Art.  5.  To  avoid  collisions  and  for  mutual 
convenience,  that  the  troops  of  the  United  States 
will  not  occupy  the  city  until  the  Mexican  forces 
have  withdrawn,  except  for  hospital  and  storage 
purposes. 

"Art.  6.  That  the  forces  of  the  United  States 
will  not  advance  beyond  the  line  specified  in  the 
second  (third)  article  before  the  expiration  of  eight 
weeks,  or  until  the  orders  or  instructions  of  the  re 
spective  governments  can  be  received. 

"Art.  7.  That  the  public  property  to  be  delivered 
shall  be  turned  over  and  received  by  officers  ap 
pointed  by  the  commanding  generals  of  both  armies. 

"  Art.  8.  That  all  doubts  as  to  the   meaning  of 


!34  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

any  of  the  preceding  articles  shall  be  solved  by  an 
equitable  construction,  and  on  principles  of  liber 
ality  to  the  retiring  army. 

"  Art.  9.  That  the  Mexican  flag,  when  struck  at 
the  Citadel,  may  be  saluted  by  its  own  battery. 

"  Done  at  Monterey,  September  24,  1846." 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

Terms  of  the  capitulation  objected  to — Causes  of  Taylor's  leniency 
— Comments  of  American  members  of  the  Joint  Commission 
— Bravery  of  both  sides — Taylor's  force  too  small  for  com 
plete  investment — Too  small  for  effective  pursuit — Ammuni 
tion  and  supplies  gained,  etc. — Taylor's  own  defense — Letters 
to  the  Secretary  of  War — Sure  escape  of  the  bulk  of  Ampudia's 
force  except  for  the  capitulation — Loss  of  life — Explosions  of 
magazines — Damage  to  the  city. — The  capitulation  paralyzed 
the  enemy  for  a  period  when  he  could  not  have  moved  for 
want  of  wagons — Troops  taken  from  Taylor  without  con 
sultation —  Results  of  liberal  treatment  —  Private  letter  of 
Taylor's  which  explains  the  situation  and  the  necessity  of 
the  capitulation — His  good  heart — General  Taylor's  graceful 
commendation  of  his  officers  and  men. 

THE  terms  of  agreement,  as  signed  by  the  Joint 
Commission  and  approved  by  Generals  Ampudia 
and  Taylor,  were  substantially  carried  into  execu 
tion.  General  Taylor,  who  was  never  a  politician 
or  partisan,  was  nevertheless  known  to  belong  to 
the  Whig  party,  which  was  not  at  this  time  in  power. 
His  phenomenal  success  had  already  brought  him 
into  the  focus  of  public  observation,  and  caused  the 
Whigs  to  talk  of  him  as  their  representative  leader— 
that  is  to  say,  as  their  probable  candidate  for  the 
presidency  for  the  ensuing  political  campaign.  This 
attitude,  for  which  Taylor  was  in  no  other  way  re 
sponsible  except,  perhaps,  by  his  public  deeds  and 
noble  character,  necessarily  brought  to  bear  upon 


1 86  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

him  more  or  less  the  jealousy  and  criticism  of  the 
party  in  power  ;  so  that  it  is  not  at  all  wonderful 
that  from  time  to  time  members  of  that  party  were 
looking  for  grounds  of  reproach. 

When  his  terms,  like  those  of  Sherman  with  John 
ston  during  our  late  war,  first  reached  Washington, 
they  gave  apparent  disappointment  and  caused  much 
fault-finding — not  only  in  the  administrative  depart 
ments,  but  soon  in  public  speeches  on  the  floors  of 
Congress,  and  from  political  platforms  in  different 
parts  of  the  country.  The  Mexican  general  [Am- 
pudia]  promoted  this  spirit  of  fault-finding  by  his 
proclamation  announcing  to  his  army  that  there  had 
been,  previous  to  the  surrender,  "a  great  scarcity  of 
ammunition  and  provisions."  This  statement  was  a 
falsehood,  but  it  justified  those  hostile  to  Taylor  in 
stating  "  that  if  he  [Taylor]  had  pressed  the  Mexi 
cans  a  little  longer  he  might  have  taken  their  whole 
army  prisoners  of  war." 

The  opposition  to  General  Taylor  was  at  its  height* 
when  a  member  of  Congress  presented  a  "  resolution 
of  thanks  to  General  Taylor  and  the  army  under 
his  command  for  their  gallantry  in  the  capture  of 
Monterey."  A  significant  amendment  was  made  to 
the  resolution — viz.,  "that  nothing  herein  contained 
shall  be  construed  into  an  approbation  of  the  terms 
of  capitulation  at  Monterey." 

It  was  exceedingly  mortifying  to  General  Taylor 
and  his  friends  that  the  resolutions  took  this  shape, 
so  that  for  some  time  efforts  were  made  by  him  and 
other  distinguished  officers  to  spread  the  truth  upon 
the  records  of  the  Government;  and  undoubtedly 
it  is  due  to  General  Taylor's  memory,  in  any  sketch 
that  can  be  made,  to  quote  some  of  the  reasons 


THE  CONVENTION  DEFENDED.      187 

which  have  been  offered  so  faithfully  and  which  so 
amply  justified  him  in  the  lenient  course  which  he 
took  with  the  Mexican  general  and  those  under  his 
command.  General  Ampudia,  though  an  able  com 
mander,  had  what  our  American  Indians  term  "  a 
forked  tongue."  His  representations  concerning  the 
changes  in  the  Mexican  policy,  about  the  time  of  his 
own  surrender,  appear  to  have  sprung  from  his  own 
inventive  genius  rather  than  from  the  facts  in  his 
possession  ;  for  Santa  Anna,  when  he  did  come,  was 
more  strongly  for  war  than  his  predecessors,  and 
would  not  have  been  likely  to  have  ordered  a  cessa 
tion  of  resistance  or  anything  like  it  at  Monterey. 
So  that  the  readers  of  this  biography  may  throw 
out  of  the  account  all  that  General  Ampudia  at  the 
conference  alleged,  except  to  admit  that  his  uncon- 
tradicted  statements  there  made  must  have  greatly 
influenced  all  the  members  of  the  Joint  Commission 
in  the  construction  of  the  terms  of  the  capitulation  ; 
and,  considering  General  Taylor's  ever-present  desire 
for  an  honorable  peace,  they  must  have  softened  his 
natural  and  usual  desire  for  a  completeness  of  sur 
render  of  any  and  every  army  that  waged  battle  with 
him. 

First,  here  are  some  notes  of  the  Joint  Commis 
sion  : 

"  It  is  demonstrable,  from  the  position  and  known 
prowess  of  the  two  armies,  that  we  could  drive  the 
enemy  from  the  town ;  but  the  town  was  untenable 
while  the  main  fort  (called  the  New  Citadel)  remained 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Being  without  siege 
artillery  or  intrenching  tools,  we  could  only  hope 
to  carry  this  fort  by  storm  after  a  heavy  loss  from 
our  army,  which,  isolated  in  a  hostile  country,  now 


1 88  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

numbered  less  than  half  the  forces  of  the  enemy. 
When  all  this  had  been  achieved,  what  more  would 
we  have  gained  than  by  the  capitulation  ? 

"  General  Taylor's  force  was  too  small  to  invest 
the  town.  It  was  therefore  always  in  the  power  of 
the  enemy  to  retreat,  bearing  his  light  arms.  Our 
army,  poorly  provided  and  with  very  insufficient 
transportation,  could  not  have  overtaken  if  they  had 
pursued  the  flying  enemy.  Hence  the  conclusion 
that,  as  it  was  not  in  our  power  to  capture  the  main 
body  of  the  Mexican  army,  it  is  unreasonable  to  sup 
pose  their  general  would  have  surrendered  at  discre 
tion.  The  moral  effect  of  retiring  under  the  capitu 
lation  was  certainly  greater  than  if  the  enemy  had 
retired  without  our  consent.  By  this  course  we 
secured  the  large  supply  of  ammunition  he  had  col 
lected  in  Monterey,  which,  had  the  assault  been 
continued,  must  have  been  exploded  by  our  shells, 
as  it  was  principally  stored  in  the  Cathedral,  which, 
being  supposed  to  be  filled  with  troops,  was  the  espe 
cial  aim  of  our  pieces.  The  destruction  which  this 
explosion  would  have  produced  must  have  involved 
the  advance  of  both  divisions  of  our  troops;  and  I 
commend  this  to  the  contemplation  of  those  whose 
arguments  have  been  drawn  from  facts  learned  since 
the  commissioners  closed  their  negotiation." 

But  next,  perhaps,  General  Taylor's  own  public 
letter  contains  the  most  complete  and  strongest 
answer  to  any  apparently  valid  objections  to  his 
terms  of  capitulation: 

"  CAMP  NEAR  MONTEREY,  November  8,  1846. 
"  SIR  :  In  reply  to  so  much  of  the  communication 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  as  relates  to    the  reasons 


THE  CONVENTION  DEFENDED.      189 

which  induced  the  convention  resulting  in  the  capitu 
lation  of  Monterey,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the 
following  remarks : 

"  The  convention  presents  two  distinct  points : 
First,  the  permission  granted  the  Mexican  army  to 
retire  with  their  arms,  etc.  ;  secondly,  the  temporary 
cessation  of  hostilities  for  the  term  of  eight  weeks. 
I  shall  remark  on  these  in  order. 

"  The  force  with  which  I  marched  on  Monterey 
was  limited,  by  causes  beyond  my  control,  to  about 
six  thousand  men.  With  this  force,  as  every  mili 
tary  man  must  admit  who  has  seen  the  ground,  it 
was  entirely  impossible  to  invest  Monterey  so  closely 
as  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  garrison.  Although 
the  main  communication  with  the  interior  was  in  our 
possession,  yet  one  route  was  open  to  the  Mexicans 
throughout  the  operations,  and  could  not  be  closed, 
as  were  also  other  minor  tracks  and  passes  through 
the  mountains.  Had  we,  therefore,  insisted  on  more 
rigorous  terms  than  those  granted,  the  result  would 
have  been  the  escape  of  the  body  of  the  Mexican 
force,  with  the  destruction  of  its  artillery  and  maga 
zines,  our  only  advantage  being  the  capture  of  a 
few  prisoners  of  war,  at  the  expense  of  valuable 
lives  and  much  damage  to  the  city.  The  considera 
tion  of  humanity  was  present  to  my  mind  during  the 
conference  which  led  to  the  convention,  and  out 
weighed,  in  my  judgment,  the  doubtful  advantages 
to  be  gained  by  a  resumption  of  the  attack  upon  the 
town.  This  conclusion  has  been  fully  confirmed  by 
an  inspection  of  the  enemy's  position  and  means 
since  the  surrender.  It  was  discovered  that  his 
principal  magazine,  containing  an  immense  amount 
of  powder,  was  in  the  Cathedral,  completely  ex- 


190 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


posed  to  our  shells  from  two  directions.  The  explo 
sion  of  this  mass  of  powder,  which  must  have  ulti 
mately  resulted  from  a  continuance  of  the  bombard 
ment,  would  have  been  infinitely  disastrous,  involving 
the  destruction  not  only  of  Mexican  troops,  but  of 
non-combatants,  and  even  our  own  people,  had  we 
pressed  the  attack. 

"  In  regard  to  the  temporary  cessation  of  hostili 
ties,  the  fact  that  we  are  not  at  this  moment — within 
eleven  days  of  the  termination  of  the  period  fixed 
by  the  convention — prepared  to  move  forward  in 
force,  is  a  sufficient  explanation  of  the  military  rea 
sons  which  dictated  this  suspension  of  arms.  It 
paralyzed  the  enemy  during  a  period  when,  from 
the  want  of  necessary  means,  we  could  not  possibly 
move.  I  desire  distinctly  to  state,  and  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  authorities  to  the  fact,  that,  with  all 
diligence  in  breaking  mules  and  setting  up  wagons, 
the  first  wagons  in  addition  to  our  original  trains  from 
Corpus  Christi  (and  but  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
in  number)  reached  my  headquarters  on  the  same  day 
with  the  Secretary's  communication  of  October  i3th, 
viz.,  the  2d  inst.  At  the  date  of  the  surrender  of 
Monterey  our  force  had  not  more  than  ten  days' 
rations;  and  even  now,  with  all  our  endeavors,  we 
have  not  more  than  twenty-five.  The  task  of  fight 
ing  and  beating  the  enemy  is  among  the  least  diffi 
cult  that  we  encounter.  The  great  question  of  sup 
plies  necessarily  controls  all  the  operations  in  a 
country  like  this.  At  the  date  of  the  convention  I 
could  not,  of  course,  have  foreseen  that  the  Depart 
ment  would  direct  an  important  detachment  from  my 
command  without  consulting  me,  or  without  waiting 
the  result  of  the  main  operations  under  my  orders. 


THE    CONVENTION    DEFENDED.  \g\ 

"  I  have  touched  the  prominent  military  points 
involved  in  the  convention  of  Monterey.  There 
were  other  considerations  which  weighed. with  the 
commissioners  in  framing,  and  with  myself  in  ap 
proving,  the  articles  of  the  convention.  In  the  con 
ference  with  General  Ampudia,  I  was  distinctly  told 
by  him  that  he  had  invited  it  to  spare  the  further 
effusion  of  blood,  and  because  General  Santa  Anna 
had  declared  himself  favorable  to  peace.  I  knew 
that  our  Government  had  made  propositions  to  that 
of  Mexico  to  negotiate,  and  I  deemed  that  the 
change  of  government  in  that  country  since  my  last 
instructions,  fully  warranted  me  in  entertaining  con 
siderations  of  policy.  My  grand  motive  in  moving 
forward  with  very  limited  supplies  had  been  to  in 
crease  the  inducements  of  the  Mexican  Government 
to  negotiate  for  peace.  Whatever  may  be  the  actual 
views  or  disposition  of  the  Mexican  rulers  or  of 
General  Santa  Anna,  it  is  not  unknown  to  the  Gov 
ernment  that  I  had  the  very  best  reason  for  believ 
ing  the  statement  of  General  Ampudia  to  be  true. 
It  was  my  opinion  at  the  time  of  the  convention,  and 
it  has  not  been  changed,  that  the  liberal  treatment 
of  the  Mexican  army  and  the  suspension  of  arms 
would  exert  none  but  a  favorable  influence  in  our 
behalf. 

"  The  result  of  the  entire  operation  has  been  to 
throw  the  Mexican  army  back  more  than  three  hun 
dred  miles  to  the  city  of  San  Luis  Potosi,  and  to 
open  the  country  to  us  as  far  as  we  choose  to  pene 
trate  it  up  to  the  same  point. 

"  It  has  been  my  purpose,  in  this  communication, 
not  so  much  to  defend  the  convention  from  the  cen 
sure  which  I  deeply  regret  to  find  implied  in  the  Sec- 


I <p2  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

retary's  letter,  as  to  show  that  it  was  not  adopted 
without  cogent  reasons,  most  of  which  occur  of 
themselves  to  the  minds  of  all  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  condition  of  things  here.  To  that  end  I 
beg  that  it  may  be  laid  before  the  General-in-Chief 
and  Secretary  of  War." 

General  Taylor,  in  a  private  letter  dated  Monte 
rey,  Mexico,  November  5,  1846,  wrote  very  fully 
upon  the  same  subject — that  is,  of  the  terms  of  the 
surrender  of  Monterey.  Extracts  from  this  letter 
not  only  justify  General  Taylor's  action,  but  show 
the  goodness  of  his  heart. 

"  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  OCCUPATION  OR  INVASION, 

MONTEREY,  MEXICO,  November  5,  1846. 

"After  considerable  apparent  delay  on  the  part 
of  the  Quartermaster's  Department  in  getting  steam 
boats  into  the  Rio  Grande  adapted  to  its  naviga 
tion,  I  succeeded  toward  the  latter  part  of  August  in 
throwing  forward  to  Camargo  (a  town  situated  on 
the  San  Juan  River  three  miles  from  its  junction 
with  the  Rio  Grande,  on  the  west  side,  nearly  five 
hundred  miles  from  Brazos  Island  by  water  and  two 
hundred  by  land,  and  one  hundred  and  forty  from 
this  place),  a  considerable  depot  of  provisions,  ord 
nance,  ammunition,  and  forage,  and  then,  having 
brought  together  an  important  portion  of  my  com 
mand,  I  determined  on  moving  on  this  place.  Ac 
cordingly,  after  collecting  seventeen  hundred  pack- 
mules,  with  their  attendants  and  conductors,  in  the 
enemy's  country  (the  principal  means  of  transporta 
tion  for  our  provisions  and  baggage),  I  left,  on  the 
5th  of  September,  to  join  my  advance,  which  had 
preceded  me  a  few  days  to  Seralvo,  a  small  village 


THE  CONVENTION  DEFENDED.      ^ 

seventy-five  miles  on  the  route,  which  I  did  on  the 
9th,  and,  after  waiting  there  a  few  days  for  some  of 
the  corps  to  get  up,  moved  on  and  reached  here  on 
the  ipth  (September,  1846),  with  6,250  men — 2,700 
regulars,  the  balance  volunteers.  For  what  took 
place  afterwards  I  must  refer  you  to  several  reports, 
particularly  to  my  detailed  one  of  the  pth  ultimo. 
I  do  not  believe  the  authorities  at  Washington  are 
at  all  satisfied  with  my  conduct  in  regard  to  the 
terms  of  capitulation  entered  into  with  the  Mexican 
commander,  which  you  no  doubt  have  seen,  as  they 
have  been  made  public  through  the  official  organ, 
and  copied  in  various  other  newspapers.  I  have 
this  moment  received  an  answer  (to  my  dispatch  an 
nouncing  the  surrender  of  Monterey,  and  the  cir 
cumstances  attending  the  same)  from  the  Secretary 
of  War,  stating  that  *  it  was  regretted  by  the  Presi 
dent  that  it  was  not  advisable  to  insist  on  the  terms 
I  had  proposed  in  my  communication  to  the  Mexi 
can  commander  in  regard  to  giving  up  the  city,' 
adding  that  '  the  circumstances  which  dictated,  no 
doubt  justified  the  change.'  Although  the  terms 
of  capitulation  may  be  considered  too  liberal  on 
our  part  by  the  President  and  his  advisers,  as  well 
as  by  many  others  at  a  distance,  particularly  by 
those  who  do  not  understand  the  position  which 
we  occupied,  (otherwise  they  might  come  to  different 
conclusion  in  regard  to  the  matter),  yet,  on  due  re 
flection,  I  see  nothing  to  induce  me  to  regret  the 
course  I  pursued. 

"  The  proposition  on  the  part  of  General  Am- 
pudia,  which  had  much  to  do  in  determining  my 
course  in  the  matter,  was  based  on  the  ground  that 
our  Government  had  proposed  to  his  to  settle  ex- 


194 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


isting  difficulties  by  negotiation,  (which  I  knew  was 
the  case,  without  knowing  the  result),  which  was 
then  under  consideration  by  the  proper  authorities, 
and  which  he  (General  Ampudia)  had  no  doubt 
would  result  favorably,  as  the  whole  of  his  people 
were  in  favor  of  peace.  If  so,  I  considered  the  fur 
ther  effusion  of  blood  not  only  unnecessary,  but  im 
proper.  Their  force  was  also  considerably  larger 
than  ours,  and  from  the  size  and  position  of  the 
place  we  could  not  completely  invest  it;  so  that  the 
greater  portion  of  their  troops,  if  not  the  whole,  had 
they  been  disposed  to  do  so,  could  any  night  have 
abandoned  the  city  at  once,  entered  the  mountain 
passes,  and  effected  their  retreat,  do  what  we  could  ! 
Had  we  been  put  to  the  alternative  of  taking  the 
place  by  storm  (which  there  is  no  doubt  we  should 
have  succeeded  in  doing),  we  should  in  all  probabil 
ity  have  lost  fifty  or  one  hundred  men  in  killed,  be 
sides  the  wounded,  which  I  wished  to  avoid,  as 
there  appeared  to  be  a  prospect  of  peace,  even  if  a 
distant  one.  I  also  wished  to  avoid  the  destruction 
of  women  and  children,  which  must  have  been  very 
great  had  the  storming  process  been  resorted  to. 
Besides,  they  had  a  very  large  and  strong  fortifica 
tion  a  short  distance  from  the  city,  which,  if  carried 
with  the  bayonet,  must  have  been  taken  at  great 
sacrifice  of  life;  and,  with  our  limited  train  of  heavy 
or  battering  artillery,  it  would  have  required  twenty 
or  twenty-five  days  to  take  it  by  regular  approaches. 
"  That  they  should  have  surrendered  a  place 
nearly  as  strong  as  Quebec,  well  fortified  under  the 
direction  of  skillful  engineers,  their  works  garnished 
with  forty-two  pieces  of  artillery,  abundantly  sup 
plied  with  ammunition,  garrisoned  by  seven  thou- 


THE    CONVENTION    DEFENDED.  195 

sand  regulars  and  two  thousand  irregular  troops,  in 
addition  to  some  thousand  of  citizens  capable  of, 
and  no  doubt  actually,  bearing  arms  and  aiding  in 
its  defense,  to  an  opposing  force  of  half  their  num 
ber,  scantily  supplied  with  provisions,  and  with  a 
light  train  of  artillery,  is  among  the  unaccountable 
occurrences  of  the  times. 

"  I  am  decidedly  opposed  to  carrying  the  war 
beyond  Saltillo  in  this  direction,  which  place  has 
been  entirely  abandoned  by  the  Mexican  forces,  all 
of  whom  have  been  concentrated  at  San  Luis  Potosi ; 
and  I  shall  lose  no  time  in  taking  possession  of  the 
former  as  soon  as  the  cessation  of  hostilities  re 
ferred  to  expires,  which  I  have  notified  the  Mexican 
authorities  will  close  on  the  i3th  instant  by  direc 
tion  of  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

"  If  we  are  (in  the  language  of  Mr.  Polk  and  Gen 
eral  Scott)  under  the  necessity  of  *  conquering  peace,' 
and  that  by  taking  the  capital  of  the  country,  we 
must  go  to  Vera  Cruz,  take  that  place,  and  then 
march  on  the  city  of  Mexico.  To  do  so  in  any  other 
direction  I  consider  out  of  the  question.  But,  ad 
mitting  that  we  conquer  a  peace  by  so  doing,  say  at 
the  end  of  the  next  twelve  months,  will  the  amount 
of  blood  and  treasure,  which  must  be  expended  in 
doing  so,  be  compensated  by  the  same  ?  I  think 
not,  especially  if  the  country  we  subdue  is  to  be 
given  up ;  and  I  imagine  there  are  but  few  individ 
uals  in  our  country  who  think  of  annexing  Mexico 
to  the  United  States. 

"  I  do  not  intend  to  carry  on  my  operations  (as 
previously  stated)  beyond  Saltillo,  deeming  it  next 
to  impracticable  to  do  so.  It  then  becomes  a  ques 
tion  as  to  what  is  best  to  be  done.  It  seems  to 


196 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


me  the  most  judicious  course  to  be  pursued  on  our 
part  would  be  to  take  possession  at  once  of  the  line 
we  would  accept  by  negotiation,  extending  from  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  Pacific,  and  occupy  the  same, 
or  keep  what  we  already  have  possession  of ;  and 
that,  with  Tampico  (which  I  hope  to  take  in  the 
course  of  next  month,  or  as  soon  as  I  can  get  the 
means  of  transportation),  will  give  us  all  on  this  side 
of  the  Sierra  Madre,  and,  as  soon  as  I  occupy  Sal- 
tillo,  will  include  six  or  seven  states  or  provinces, 
thus  holding  Tampico,  Vittoria,  Monterey,  Saltillo, 
Monclova,  Chihuahua  (which  I  presume  General 
Wool  has  possession  of  by  this  time),  Santa  Fe,  and 
the  Californias,  and  say  to  Mexico,  '  Drive  us  from 
the  country  ! '  throwing  on  her  the  responsibility  and 
expense  of  carrying  on  offensive  war,  at  the  same 
time  closely  blockading  all  her  ports  on  the  Pacific 
and  on  the  Gulf.  A  course  of  this  kind,  if  perse 
vered  in  for  a  short  time,  would  soon  bring  her  to 
her  proper  senses,  and  compel  her  to  sue  for  peace, 
provided  there  is  a  government  in  the  country  suffi 
ciently  stable  for  us  to  treat  with,  which  I  fear  will 
hardly  be  the  case  for  many  years  to  come.  With 
out  large  re-enforcements  of  volunteers  from  the 
United  States,  say  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  (those 
previously  sent  out  having  already  been  greatly  re 
duced  by  sickness  and  other  casualties),  I  do  not 
believe  it  would  be  advisable  to  march  beyond  Sal 
tillo,  which  is  more  than  two  hundred  miles  beyond 
our  depots  on  the  Rio  Grande,  a  very  long  line  on 
which  to  keep  up  supplies  (over  a  land  route  in  a 
country  like  this)  for  a  large  force,  and  certain  to  be 
attended  with  an  expense  which  it  will  be  frightful 
to  contemplate  when  closely  looked  into. 


THE  CONVENTION  DEFENDED. 


I97 


"  From  Saltillo  to  San  Luis  Potosi,  the  next  place 
of  importance  on  the  road  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  is 
three  hundred  miles,  one  hundred  and  forty  badly 
watered,  where  no  supplies  of  any  kind  could  be 
procured  for  men  or  horses.  I  have  informed  the 
War  Department  that  twenty  thousand  efficient  men 
would  be  necessary  to  insure  success  if  we  move  on 
that  place  (a  city  containing  a  population  of  sixty 
thousand,  where  the  enemy  could  bring  together  and 
sustain,  besides  the  citizens,  an  army  of  fifty  thou 
sand),  a  force  which  I  apprehend  will  hardly  be  col 
lected  by  us,  with  the  train  necessary  to  feed  it,  as 
well  as  to  transport  various  other  supplies,  particu 
larly  ordnance  and  munitions  of  war. 

"  In  regard  to  the  armistice,  which  would  have 
expired  by  limitation  in  a  few  days,  we  lost  nothing 
by  it,  as  we  could  not  move  even  now  had  the  enemy 
continued  to  occupy  Saltillo  ;  for,  strange  to  say, 
the  first  wagon  that  has  reached  me  since  the  decla 
ration  of  war  was  on  the  26.  instant,  the  same  day  on 
which  I  received  from  Washington  an  acknowledg 
ment  of  my  dispatch  announcing  the  taking  of  Mon 
terey,  and  then  I  received  only  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five;  so  that  I  have  been  since  May  last  com 
pletely  crippled,  and  am  still  so,  for  want  of  trans 
portation.  After  raking  and  scraping  the  country 
for  miles  around  Camargo,  collecting  every  pack- 
mule  and  other  means  of  transportation,  I  could 
bring  here  only  eighty  thousand  rations  (fifteen  days' 
supply),  with  a  moderate  supply  of  ordnance,  ammu 
nition,  etc.,  to  do  which  all  the  corps  had  to  leave 
behind  a  portion  of  their  camp  equipage  necessary 
for  their  comfort,  and  in  some  instances,  among  the 
volunteers,  their  personal  baggage.  I  moved  in  such 
14 


198  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

a  way  and  with  such  limited  means  that,  had  I  not  suc 
ceeded,  I  should  no  doubt  have  been  severely  repri 
manded,  if  nothing  worse.  I  did  so  to  sustain  the 
administration. 

"  Of  the  two  regiments  of  mounted  men  from 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky  who  left  their  respective 
States  to  join  me  in  June,  the  latter  has  just  reached 
Camargo ;  the  former  had  not  got  to  Matamoros  at 
the  latest  dates  from  there.  Admitting  that  they 
will  be  as  long  in  returning  as  in  getting  here  (to 
say  nothing  of  the  time  necessary  to  recruit  their 
horses),  and  were  to  be  discharged  in  time  to  reach 
their  homes,  they  could  serve  in  Mexico  but  a  very 
short  time.  The  foregoing  remarks  are  not  made 
with  the  view  of  finding  fault  with  any  one,  but  to 
point  out  the  difficulties  with  which  I  have  had  to 
contend. 

"  Monterey,  the  capital  of  New  Leon,  is  situated 
on  the  San  Juan  River  where  it  comes  out  of  the 
mountains,  the  city  (which  contains  a  population  of 
about  twelve  thousand)  being  in  part  surrounded  by 
them,  at  the  head  of  a  large  and  beautiful  valley. 
The  houses  are  of  stone,  in  the  Moorish  style,  with 
flat  roofs,  which,  with  their  strongly  inclosed  gar 
dens  in  high  stone  walls  all  looped  for  musketry, 
make  them  each  a  fortress  within  itself.  It  is  the 
most  important  place  in  northern  Mexico  or  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  commanding  the  only 
pass  or  road  for  carriages  from  this  side,  between  it 
and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  table-lands  of  the 
Sierra,  by  or  through  which  the  city  of  Mexico  can 
be  reached. 

"  I  much  fear  that  I  shall  have  exhausted  your 


THE  CONVENTION  DEFENDED. 


I99 


patience  before  you  get  half  through  this  long  and 
uninteresting  letter.  If  so,  you  can  only  commit  it 
to  the  flames  and  think  no  more  about  it,  as  I  write 
in  great  haste,  besides  being  interrupted  every  five 
minutes;  so  that  you  must  make  great  allowances 
for  blots,  interlineations,  and  blunders,  as  well  as 
want  of  connection  in  many  parts  of  the  same. 

"Be  so  good  as  to  present  me  most  kindly  to 
your  excellent  lady ;  and  accept  my  sincere  wishes 
for  your  continued  health,  prosperity,  and  fame. 

"  I  remain,  truly  and  sincerely,  your  friend, 

"Z.  TAYLOR." 

Considering  the  length  of  the  operations  at  Mon 
terey — a  partial  siege  we  may  call  them — and  the 
many  combats  of  Taylor's  troops,  including  the  as 
saults  upon  forts,  bridge-heads,  and  redoubts,  be 
sides  those  upon  the  stone  walls  of  public  buildings, 
private  courts,  and  dwelling-houses,  and  for  the 
most  part  at  each  point  of  attack  carried  on  against 
equal  or  superior  numbers,  it  is  surprising  to  find  the 
casualties  so  few.  Taylor's  entire  loss,  after  he 
came  in  sight  of  the  city,  was  but  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  officers  and  men  killed,  and  three  hun 
dred  and  ninety-eight  officers  and  men  wounded  and 
missing. 

It  is  always  a  difficult  task  for  a  commander 
properly  to  discriminate  with  reference  to  those  un 
der  him  in  action  so  as  to  award  praise  or  blame  with 
justice,  and  give  to  those  concerned  anything  like  ade 
quate  satisfaction.  General  Taylor's  efforts  in  this 
respect,  in  all  his  reports  now  recorded,  are  models. 
After  the  battle  of  Monterey  he  commences  his  com 
mendation — for  here  it  is  onlv  commendation — of 


200  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

both  regulars  and  volunteers,  in  this  graceful  expres 
sion  :  "  I  am  proud  to  bear  testimony  to  their  coolness 
and  constancy  in  battle,  and  the  cheerfulness  with 
which  they  have  submitted  to  exposure  and  priva 
tion."  He  evidently  took  sufficient  time  to  consider 
the  reported  conduct  of  every  officer,  besides  those 
whom  he  himself  noticed  in  the  field.  So  that  we 
have  here  a  beautiful  record  from  the  three  division 
commanders  to  the  humblest  lieutenant  who  served 
in  the  army  of  occupation. 

From  this  long  list  there  are  very  few  who  lived 
who  did  not  also  gain  great  distinction  in  the  war  of 
the  rebellion  of  1861  to  1865.  He  exercises  a  simi 
lar  care  in  the  enumeration  of  the  deeds  of  the  non 
commissioned  officers,  and  refers  feelingly  to  the  re 
ports  of  sub-commanders,  of  which  one  historian  says : 

(These  reports)  "  must  therefore  close  the  record 
of  personal  merit  which  shone  forth  on  that  memo 
rable  occasion — memorable  not  only  in  the  annals  of 
America,  but  in  the  records  of  modern  warfare.  .  .  ." 
He  further  says :  "  Commentary  can  not  magnify  the 
luster  of  such  an  achievement.  If  it  is  right  and 
reasonable  to  applaud  actions  involving  of  necessity 
the  infliction  of  misery  and  the  sacrifice  of  life,  the 
capture  of  Monterey  is  one  to  command  unqualified 
admiration.'' 

In  the  preliminary  march,  during  the  operations 
of  the  partial  siege,  in  his  instructions  to  the  joint 
commission,  and  in  all  his  reports  and  letters,  Gen 
eral  Zachary  Taylor  showed  his  usual  sterling  quali 
ties  ;  for  example  :  i.  In  setting  out  upon  the  march 
with  so  few  troops,  and  so  poorly  supported  by  the 
supply  departments,  he  evinced  decided  boldness, 
with  great  confidence  in  himself  and  his  men. 


THE  CONVENTION  DEFENDED.      2OI 

2.  His  quick  appreciation  of  the  situation  at  Mon 
terey  ;  and  entering  at  once  upon  the  best  practicable 
plan  of  attack,  and  carrying  it  on  unflinchingly  against 
vastly  superior  numbers,  show,  at  every  stage,  the 
sterling  firmness  and  persistency  of  the  man. 

3.  His  tenderness  of  heart,  in  the  face  of  his  in 
domitable  action,  was  constantly  brought  out ;   he 
had  too  much  humanity  to  admit  of  the  sacrifice  of 
life  for  any  uncertain  issue.    His  own  declaration  has 
a  sincere  and  dignified  appearance.    He  writes  :  "The 
consideration  of  humanity  was  present  to  my  mind 
during  the  conference  which  led  to  the  convention, 
and  outweighed,  in  my  judgment,  the  doubtful  ad 
vantage  to  be  gained  by  the  resumption  of  the  attack 
upon  the  town."     How  soon  he  apprehended  the  im 
mense  loss  of  life  that  would  have  followed  an  attempt 
to  assault  or  evacuate  the  town  by  the  enemy,  and 
particularly  from  the  almost  certain  explosion  of  the 
great  powder  magazine,  dealing  death  to  friend  and 
foe  alike,  and  slaying  perhaps  thousands  of  innocent 
women  and  children  ! 

4.  The  objections  to  his  extended  cessation  from 
hostilities  have   long  since   redounded   to    Taylor's 
good  judgment;  for  it  required  time  to  prepare  for  a 
new  campaign,  and  hostilities  are  always,  especially 
in  time  of  preparation,  a  serious,  disturbing  factor. 

5.  No  one  who   reviews  this  campaign  can  fail 
to  see  that  much  of  General  Taylor's  success  was 
obtained  in  spite  of  bad  treatment  from  senior  au 
thority.     It  seems  now  to  be  almost  incredible  that 
the    necessary   transportation    and    supplies    should 
have  been  so  long  held  back ;  and  no  one  can  fail  to 
believe  that  rivalry  or  jealousy  was  at  the  bottom  of 
the  policy  which  detached   from  General  Taylor  a 


202  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

large  proportion  of  his  command  without  even  con 
sulting  him.  Still,  his  complaints  are  never  fretful, 
but  always  reasonable  and  dignified  in  their  state 
ment. 

6.  Another  notable  feature  is  the  good  influence 
of  General  Taylor's  lenient  conduct  upon  the  Mexi 
can  mind ;  and  who  can  tell  what  might  have  been 
the  result  had  his  wise  counsels  been  more  fully  fol 
lowed.  His  letters  concerning  the  future  conduct 
of  the  whole  campaign  are  written  with  large  ca 
pacity,  practical  good  sense,  and  honest,  patriotic 
fervor. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

New  Washington  plans — Reduction  of  force — Santa  Anna  and 
Paredes— Hon.  William  L.  Marcy's  letter  to  Taylor— Tay 
lor's  occupation  deemed  a  blessing — More  fault-finding — Tay 
lor's  official  replies— General  Wool's  column— The  new  line. 

WE  may  pause  here  to  notice  the  effect  upon  Gen 
eral  Taylor  and  his  career  of  the  new  plans  emanat 
ing  from  Washington.  General  Taylor's  operations 
at  Monterey  had  reduced  his  army  to  about  fifty-five 
hundred  men,  and  as  soon  as  they  became  compara 
tively  idle  in  the  climate  of  Mexico  there  was  a  further 
reduction  on  account  of  sickness.  Certainly  it  was 
impracticable  to  move  by  this  Monterey  route  much 
farther  into  the  interior,  unless  there  could  be  estab 
lished  a  series  of  depots  and  sub-depots  well  guarded. 
The  line  was  already  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in 
length  from  the  Rio  Grande.  There  had  been  sev 
eral  attempts  on  the  part  of  our  administration  to 
secure  terms  of  settlement  with  the  Mexicans  by 
peaceable  measures.  By  September,  1846,  the  prom 
ises  of  Santa  Anna,  who  had  come  to  replace  Paredes 
as  President  and  commander  of  the  army,  had  proved 
futile.  With  a  view  to  placing  before  the  reader  the 
attitude  of  our  Government  at  this  time,  it  may  be 
well  to  quote  from  the  able  instructions  of  the  Hon. 
William  L,  Marcy,  given  from  Washington  in  a  com 
munication  to  Gen.  Taylor,  the  22d  of  September, 


204  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

particularly  those  with  regard  to  living  on  the  coun 
try : 

"  Public  opinion,"  he  writes,  "  it  is  to  be  presumed, 
will  have  some  influence  upon  the  decision  of  that  [the 
Mexican]  Congress.  The  progress  of  our  arms,  and 
the  positions  we  may  occupy  when  that  body  shall 
come  together,  can  not  fail  to  have  effect  upon  its 
action  in  regard  to  our  proposal  to  negotiate.  Should 
the  campaign  be  successful,  and  our  troops  be  in  pos 
session  of  important  departments  of  the  enemy's  coun 
try,  the  inducement  for  a  speedy  peace  will  be  greatly 
strengthened. 

"  It  is  far  from  being  certain  that  our  military  oc 
cupation  of  the  enemy's  country  is  not  a  blessing  to 
the  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity.  They  are  shielded 
from  the  burdens  and  exactions  of  their  own  author 
ities,  protected  in  their  persons,  and  furnished  with 
a  most  profitable  market  for  most  kinds  of  their 
property.  VA  state  of  things  so  favorable  to  their 
interests  may  induce  them  to  wish  the  continuance 
of  hostilities. 

"  The  instructions  heretofore  given  have  required 
you  to  treat  with  great  kindness  the  people,  to  respect 
private  property,  and  to  abstain  from  appropriating  it 
to  the  public  use  without  purchase  at  a  fair  price.  In 
some  respects  this  is  going  far  beyond  the  common  re 
quirements  of  civilized  warfare.  An  invading  army 
has  the  unquestionable  right  to  draw  its  supplies  from 
the  enemy  without  paying  for  them,  and  to  require  con 
tributions  for  its  support.  It  may  be  proper,  and 
good  policy  requires,  that  discriminations  should  be 
made  in  imposing  these  burdens.  Those  who  are 
friendly  disposed,  or  contribute  aid,  should  be  treated 
with  liberality;  yet  the  enemy  may  be  made  to  feel 


FUTURE    PLANS   DISCUSSED. 


205 


the  weight  of  the  war,  and  thereby  become  interested 
to  use  their  best  efforts  to  bring  about  a  state  of 
peace. 

"  It  is  also  but  just  that  a  nation  which  is  involved 
in  a  war,  to  obtain  justice  or  to  maintain  its  just 
rights,  should  shift  the  burden  of  it,  as  far  as  prac 
ticable,  from  itself  by  throwing  it  upon  the  enemy. 

"  Upon  the  liberal  principles  of  civilized  warfare, 
either  of  three  modes  may  be  pursued  in  relation  to 
obtaining  supplies  from  the  enemy  :  first,  to  purchase 
them  on  such  terms  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  country 
may  choose  to  exact;  second,  to  pay  a  fair  price 
without  regard  to  the  enhanced  value  resulting  from 
the  presence  of  a  foreign  army;  and,  third,  to  re 
quire  them  as  contributions,  without  paying  or  en 
gaging  to  pay  therefor. 

"The  last  mode  is  the  ordinary  one,  and  you  are 
instructed  to  adopt  it,  if  in  that  way  you  are  satis 
fied  you  can  get  abundant  supplies  for  your  forces; 
but  should  you  apprehend  a  difficulty  in  this  respect, 
then  you  will  adopt  the  policy  of  paying  the  ordi 
nary  price,  without  allowing  to  the  owners  the  ad 
vantages  of  the  enhancement  of  the  price  resulting 
from  the  increased  demand.  Should  you  apprehend 
a  deficiency  under  this  last  mode  of  dealing  with  the 
inhabitants,  you  will  be  obliged  to  submit  to  their 
exactions,  provided  by  this  mode  you  can  supply 
your  wants  on  better  terms  than  by  drawing  what 
you  need  from  the  United  States.  Should  you  at 
tempt  to  supply  your  troops  by  contributions,  or  the 
appropriation  of  private  property,  you  will  be  care 
ful  to  exempt  the  property  of  all  foreigners  from  any 
and  all  exactions  whatsoever.  The  President  hopes 
you  will  be  able  to  derive  from  the  enemy's  country, 


206  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

without  expense  to  the  United  States,  the  supplies 
you  may  need,  or  a  considerable  part  of  them ;  but 
should  you  fail  in  this,  you  will  procure  them  in  the 
most  economical  manner." 

Mr.  Marcy  further  states :  "  It  is  proposed  to 
take  possession  of  the  Department  of  Tamaulipas,  or 
some  of  the  principal  places  in  it,  at  the  earliest 
practicable  period.  In  this  enterprise  it  is  believed 
that  a  co-operation  of  our  squadron  in  the  Gulf  will 
be  important,  if  not  necessary.  It  is  presumed  that 
a  force  of  about  three  or  four  thousand  men  will  be 
sufficient  for  this  purpose — one  third  of  which  should 
be  of  the  regular  army. 

"  We  have  not  now  sufficiently  accurate  knowl 
edge  of  the  country  to  determine  definitely  as  to  the 
manner  of  conducting  this  enterprise.  The  danger 
ous  navigation  of  the  Gulf  at  this  season  of  the  year 
induces  the  hope  that  a  column  may  be  advanced  by 
land  from  the  present  base  of  operations — the  Rio 
Grande;  and  that  it  may  have  an  occasional  com 
munication  with  our  ships  in  the  Gulf.  Should  this 
land  route  be  adjudged  impracticable,  or  a  debarka 
tion  be  preferred,  two  points  of  landing  have  been  sug 
gested,  one  at  the  Bay  of  Santander  and  the  other 
at  Tampico.  If  a  force  be  landed  at  the  Bay  of 
Santander,  or  in  the  vicinity  of  Soto  la  Marina,  it 
could  probably  reach,  without  much  difficulty,  some 
of  the  principal  places  in  the  Department  of 
Tamaulipas,  and  march  to  and  take  possession  of 
Tampico.  While  the  route  is  yet  open  to  be  settled, 
as  a  better  knowledge  of  the  country  may  indicate, 
it  is  proper  to  speak  more  in  detail  of  the  force  to 
be  employed  in  this  service. 

"  It  is  not  proposed  to  withdraw  any  of  that  now 


FUTURE    PLANS   DISCUSSED.  207 

with  you  in  your  advance  into  the  interior,  nor  to 
divert  any  of  the  re-enforcements  that  you  may  need 
to  carry  on  your  operations  in  that  quarter.  It  is 
believed  that  a  sufficient  force  of  the  regular  army 
for  this  expedition — about  one  regiment — may  be 
drawn  from  the  seaboard,  including  such  companies 
as  may  have  been  left  on  the  lower  Rio  Grande,  and 
can  be  spared  for  that  purpose.  If  a  column  should 
advance  beyond  the  river  into  the  interior  of  Tamau- 
lipas,  a  part  of  the  troops  now  on  that  line  might, 
it  is  presumed,  be  safely  withdrawn  to  augment  the 
invading  column.  It  is  not,  however,  intended  to 
weaken  the  force  on  that  line  any  further  than  it  can, 
in  your  opinion,  be  safely  done. 

"  It  is  also  proposed  to  put  the  force  for  the  in 
vasion  of  Tamaulipas  under  the  immediate  command 
of  Major-General  Patterson,  to  be  accompanied  by 
Brigadier-Generals  Pillow  and  Shields,  unless  it 
should  interfere  with  your  previous  arrangement 
with  regard  to  these  officers.  To  prevent  delay, 
General  Patterson  will  be  directed  to  make  prepara 
tions  for  this  movement,  so  far  as  it  can  be  done 
without  disturbing  your  present  arrangements  on 
the  Rio  Grande,  and  proceed  immediately  and  with 
out  further  orders  from  the  Department,  unless  you 
should  be  of  opinion  that  the  withdrawal  of  the 
force  proposed  for  this  expedition  would  interfere 
with  your  operations.  This  direction  is  given  to 
General  Patterson,  because  the  time  necessary  to 
receive  information  from  you  and  return  an  answer 
from  the  Department  may  be  the  propitious  moment 
for  operating  with  effect.  The  movement  ought  to  be 
made  with  the  least  possible  delay  consistently  with 
the  health  of  the  troops.  It  will  be  left  to  General 


208  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Patterson,  under  your  instructions,  to  decide  whether 
the  movement  shall  be  by  land  or  sea,  or  partly  by 
each.  It  is  desired  that  you  should  give  him  your 
views  in  regard  to  the  best  mode  of  prosecuting  this 
expedition,  particularly  as  to  the  amount  and  descrip 
tion  of  force,  and  the  quantity  and  kind  of  ordnance 
which  may  be  required.  Preparatory  arrangements 
will  be  immediately  ordered  here  for  fitting  out  the 
expedition  therein  proposed,  by  which  transports  and 
provisions  will  be  in  readiness  at  the  Brazos  San 
tiago.  By  the  time  this  communication  will  be  re 
ceived  by  you,  it  is  expected  that  you  will  have 
reached  Monterey,  and  perhaps  Saltillo,  and  be 
able  to  present  to  the  Department  a  satisfactory 
opinion  of  your  ability  to  progress  beyond  that 
point.  We  shall  anxiously  look  for  information 
from  you.  Your  advance  to  San  Luis  Potosi,  if 
practicable,  is  rendered  greatly  more  important  by 
the  movement  contemplated  to  Tampico,  by  which 
you  will,  it  is  believed,  be  enabled  to  effect  a  co 
operation  with  the  squadron,  and  with  the  column 
under  Major-General  Patterson,  on  a  line  in  advance 
of  the  Rio  Grande.  The  squadron  is  now  under 
orders  to  attack  Tampico,  with  every  prospect  of 
success,  and  the  probability  is  that  the  place  will  be 
captured  in  advance  of  General  Patterson's  move 
ment." 

By  a  careful  reading  of  these  instructions  and 
what  follows,  and  by  the  orders  sent  to  General  Pat 
terson  and  other  officers,  it  was  made  plain  to  Gen 
eral  Taylor  that  the  President  and  his  Cabinet  were 
not  pleased  with  the  terms  of  his  capitulation  at 
Monterey.  They  especially  demurred  at  the  pro 
longed  armistice.  Here  are  some  of  the  expressions 


FUTURE    PLANS   DISCUSSED.  209 

of  regret.  Mr.  Marcy  says  :  "  By  the  arrangements 
you  have  made  for  a  temporary  suspension  of  hos 
tilities  within  certain  limits  of  the  enemy's  country, 
if  continued  to  the  end  of  the  time  stipulated,  a  con 
siderable  part  of  Tamaulipas  will  be  exempted  from 
military  operations  until  within  a  few  days  of  the  time 
fixed  for  the  meeting  of  the  Mexican  Congress,  and 
the  expedition — that  is,  the  one  projected  to  Tampi- 
co — thereby  delayed,  or,  if  prosecuted  by  the  land  or 
naval  forces,  might  bring  into  question  the  good  faith 
of  the  United  States.  ...  It  is  an  object  of  much 
interest  to  the  Government  to  be  put  in  possession 
of  your  views  as  to  your  future  operations." 

A  little  after,  something  beyond  the  Tampico  proj 
ect  Mr.  Marcy  reveals  to  Taylor,  when  he  says  :  "  It 
is  under  consideration  by  the  Government,  though  not 
yet  fully  determined,  to  land  a  considerable  force  in 
the  vicinity  of  Vera  Cruz  and  invest  that  city.  Should 
this  be  undertaken,  a  larger  force  of  regular  troops 
will  be  required  than  that  assigned  to  the  Tamauli 
pas  expedition.  It  is  desired  to  know  if,  in  your 
opinion,  a  detachment  of  two  thousand  of  this  de 
scription  of  force  can  be  spared  for  that  purpose 
from  those  under  your  command,  without  essentially 
interfering  with  your  plans  and  operations.  It  is 
not  designed  or  intended  to  weaken  the  force  with 
you  at  Monterey,  or  to  embarrass  you  by  diverting 
troops  from  the  Rio  Grande,  which  you  may  deem 
necessary  as  reinforcements  to  the  execution  of  your 
own  contemplated  operations." 

General  Taylor  appears  to  have  answered,  early 
in  October,  that  he  could  not,  consistent  with  good 
faith,  detach  a  force  and  send  it  south  of  a  line  run 
ning  through  Linares  to  San  Fernando.  A  little 


2to  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

later,  the  i5th  of  October,  the  general  was  aroused 
by  a  sort  of  undercurrent  of  dissatisfaction  in  the 
communications  which  he  received.  There  is  nothing 
that  hurts  the  feelings  of  a  general  so  much  as  such 
a  tone  of  fault-finding  and  unfavorable  criticism,  com 
ing  in  letter  after  letter,  and  reflected  in  all  the  pub 
lic  press  of  the  country,  where  he  had  rightfully 
expected  and  really  deserved  only  commendation. 
The  following  letter,  written  under  just  these  cir 
cumstances,  speaks  for  itself  : 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  OCCUPATION, 

CAMP  NEAR  MONTEREY,  October  15,  1846. 

"SiR:  In  my  acknowledgment,  dated  the  i2th 
instant,  of  the  instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
of  September  22d,  I  briefly  stated  that  the  detach 
ment  to  Tampico  could  not  be  made  without  contra 
vening  the  convention  at  Monterey.  Other  reasons, 
and  more  detailed  views  on  this  point  and  the  gen 
eral  question  of  the  campaign,  I  left  to  a  subsequent 
communication,  which  I  have  now  the  honor  to  sub 
mit  for  the  information  of  the  General-in-Chief  and 
the  Secretary  of  War.  Such  a  point  has  been  reached 
in  the  conduct  of  the  war  and  the  progress  of  our 
arms  as  to  make  it  proper  to  place  my  impressions 
and  convictions  very  fully  before  the  Government. 

"  I  wish  to  remark,  first  of  all,  that  I  have  con 
sidered  Brigadier-General  Wool,  though  formally  un 
der  my  orders,  yet  as  charged  by  the  Government  with 
a  distinct  operation,  with  which  I  was  not  at  liberty 
to  interfere.  Though  greatly  in  doubt  as  to  the 
practicability  of  his  reaching  Chihuahua  with  artil 
lery,  and  deeming  the  importance  of  the  operation, 
at  any  rate,  to  be  not  at  all  commensurate  with  its 


FUTURE    PLANS   DISCUSSED.  2II 

difficulty  and  expense,  I  have  accordingly  refrained 
from  controlling  his  movements  in  any  way.  His 
force,  therefore,  forms  no  element  in  my  calcula 
tions,  particularly  as  it  is  now,  or  soon  will  be,  en 
tirely  beyond  my  reach. 

"  The  Mexican  army  under  General  Ampudia  has 
left  Saltillo  and  fallen  back  on  San  Luis  Potosi — the 
last  detachment,  as  I  understand,  being  under  orders 
to  march  to-day.  General  Santa  Anna  reached  San 
Luis  on  the  8th  instant,  and  is  engaged  in  con 
centrating  and  organizing  the  army  at  that  point. 
Whether  the  withdrawal  of  the  forces  to  San  Luis  be 
intended  to  draw  us  into  the  country,  far  from  sup 
plies  and  support,  or  whether  it  be  a  political  move 
ment,  connected  with  Santa  Anna's  return  to  power, 
it  is  impossible  to  say ;  it  is  sufficient  for  my  present 
argument  to  know  that  a  heavy  force  is  assembling 
in  our  front.  Saltillo,  the  capital  of  Coahuila,  is 
virtually  in  our  possession,  and  can  be  occupied,  if 
necessary,  the  moment  the  convention  is  at  an  end. 
The  occupation  of  Saltillo  will  lengthen  our  line  sev 
enty-five  miles,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  may  enable 
us  to  draw  at  least  a  portion  of  our  breadstuffs  from 
the  country.  San  Luis  is  about  three  hundred  miles 
from  Saltillo,  perhaps  more. 

San  Luis  is  a  city  of  some  sixty  thousand  inhab 
itants,  in  a  country  abundant  in  resources,  and  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  heart  of  the  Republic, 
whence  munitions  of  war  and  reinforcements  can 
readily  be  drawn.  It  is  at  the  same  time  nearly  six 
hundred  miles  from  the  Rio  Grande,  which  must  con 
tinue  to  be  the  base  of  our  operations,  at  least  until 
we  reach  San  Luis. 

"  In  view  of  the  above  facts,  I  hazard  nothing  in 


212  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

saying  that  a  column  to  move  on  San  Luis  from  Sal- 
tillo  should,  to  insure  success,  be  at  least  twenty 
thousand  strong,  of  which  ten  thousand  should  be 
regular  troops.  After  much  reflection,  I  consider 
the  above  as  the  smallest  number  of  effective  troops 
that  could  be  employed  on  this  service  without  in 
curring  the  hazard  of  disaster,  and  perhaps  defeat. 
There  would  be  required,  besides,  to  keep  open  our 
long  line,  protect  the  depots,  and  secure  the  country 
already  gained,  a  force  of  five  thousand  men — this, 
without  including  the  force  necessary  to  send  to 
Tampico  to  take  or  hold  that  place. 

"  The  above  estimate  may  seem  large,  when  it  is 
remembered  that  important  results  have  been  gained 
with  a  much  smaller  force;  but  we  have  hitherto 
operated  near  our  own  base,  and  the  Mexicans  at  a 
great  distance  from  theirs.  Saltillo  may  be  consid 
ered  about  equidistant  from  the  Rio  Grande  and 
San  Luis.  Every  day's  march  beyond  it  lengthens 
our  already  long  line  and  curtails  theirs — weakens 
us  and  gives  them  strength.  Hence  the  movement 
should  not  be  undertaken  except  with  a  force  so 
large  as  to  render  success  certain. 

"  In  the  above  calculations  I  have  supposed  the 
Mexicans  able  to  concentrate  at  San  Luis  a  force  of 
forty  thousand  to  fifty  thousand  men.  With  tol 
erable  stability  in  the  Government,  I  doubt  not  their 
ability  to  do  this,  and  it  is  not  safe  to  assume  any 
less  number  as  a  basis.  The  force  of  twelve  months' 
volunteers  has  suffered  greatly  from  disease.  Many 
have  died,  and  a  great  number  have  been  discharged 
for  disability.  So  much  has  their  effective  strength 
been  reduced  by  this  cause  and  present  sickness 
that,  in  the  absence  of  official  returns,  I  am  satisfied 


FUTURE   PLANS   DISCUSSED. 


2I3 


that  five  hundred  men  per  regiment  would  be  a  large 
average  of  effectives  among  the  volunteers.  This 
would  give,  including  the  cavalry,  a  force  a  little 
short  of  nine  thousand  men,  or,  adding  four  thousand 
regulars  (our  present  strength  is  not  three  thousand), 
a  total  force  of  thirteen  thousand.  Leaving  the  very 
moderate  number  of  three  thousand  to  secure  our 
rear,  I  should  not  be  able  to  march  from  Saltillo, 
with  present  and  expected  means,  at  the  head  of 
more  than  ten  thousand  men — a  number  which,  from 
considerations  above  stated,  I  deem  to  be  entirely 
inadequate. 

"  And  now  1  come  to  the  point  presented  in  the 
Secretary's  letters.  A  simultaneous  movement  on 
San  Luis  and  Tampico  is  there  suggested;  but  it  will 
readily  be  seen  that,  with  only  half  the  force  which  I 
consider  necessary  to  march  on  one  point,  it  is  quite 
impossible  to  march  on  both,  and  that  nothing  short 
of  an  effective  force  of  twenty-five  thousand  to  thirty 
thousand  men  would,  on  military  principles,  justify 
the  doube  movement.  And  it  is  to  be  remarked  that 
the  possession  of  Tampico  is  indispensable  in  case  we 
advance  to  San  Luis,  for  the  line  hence  to  the  latter 
place  is  entirely  too  long  to  be  maintained  perma 
nently,  and  must  be  abandoned  for  the  shorter  one 
from  Tampico  the  moment  San  Luis  is  taken. 

"  I  have  spoken  only  of  the  number  of  troops 
deemed  necessary  for  the  prosecution  of  the  cam 
paign  beyond  Saltillo.  It  will  be  understood  that 
largely  increased  means  and  material  of  every  kind 
will  be  equally  necessary  to  render  the  army  efficient 
— such  as  cavalry  and  artillery  horses,  means  of 
transportation,  ordnance  stores,  etc. 

"  The  Department  may  be  assured  that  the  above 
15 


214  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

views  have  not  been  given  without  mature  reflection, 
and  have  been  the  result  of  experience  and  careful 
inquiry.  It  will  be  for  the  Government  to  deter 
mine  whether  the  war  shall  be  prosecuted  by  direct 
ing  an  active  campaign  against  San  Luis  and  the 
capital,  or  whether  the  country  already  gained  shall 
be  held,  and  a  defensive  attitude  assumed.  In  the 
latter  case,  the  general  line  of  the  Sierra  Madre 
might  very  well  be  taken ;  but  even  then,  with  the 
enemy  in  force  in  my  front,  it  might  be  imprudent 
to  detach  to  Tampico  so  large  a  force  as  three 
thousand  or  four  thousand  men,  particularly  of  the 
description  required  for  that  operation.  If  the  co 
operation  of  the  army,  therefore,  be  deemed  essential 
to  the  success  of  the  expedition  against  Tampico,  I 
trust  that  it  will  be  postponed  for  the  present. 

"I  have  not  been  unmindful  of  the  importance  of 
taking  Tampico,  and  have  at  least  once  addressed 
the  Department  on  the  subject.  Nothing  but  the 
known  exposure  of  the  place  to  the  ravages  of  the 
yellow  fever  prevented  me  from  organizing  an  ex 
pedition  against  it  last  summer.  I  knew  that,  if 
taken,  it  could  not  with  any  certainty  be  held,  and 
that  the  cause  would  not  be  removed  before  the  last 
of  November  or  the  first  of  December. 

"  It  may  be  expected  that  I  would  give  my  views 
as  to  the  policy  of  occupying  a  defensive  line,  to 
which  I  have  above  alluded.  I  am  free  to  confess 
that,  in  view  of  the  difficulties  and  expense  attending 
a  movement  into  the  heart  of  the  country,  and  par 
ticularly  in  view  of  the  unsettled  and  revolutionary 
character  of  the  Mexican  Government,  the  occupa 
tion  of  such  a  line  seems  to  me  the  best  course  that 
can  be  adopted.  The  line  taken  might  either  be  that 


FUTURE   PLANS   DISCUSSED. 


215 


on  which  we  propose  to  insist  as  the  boundary 
between  the  republics — say,  the  Rio  Grande — or  the 
line  to  which  we  have  advanced — viz.,  the  Sierra 
Madre,  including  Chihuahua  and  Santa  Fe.  The 
former  line  could  be  held  with  a  much  smaller  force 
than  the  latter;  but  even  the  line  of  the  Sierra 
Madre  could  be  held  with  a  force  greatly  less  than 
would  be  required  for  an  active  campaign.  Mon 
terey  controls  the  great  outlet  from  the  interior ;  a 
strong  garrison  at  this  point,"  with  an  advance  at 
Saltillo,  and  small  corps  at  Monclova,  Linares,  Vit- 
toria,  and  Tampico,  would  effectually  cover  the  line. 

"  I  have  limited  my  remarks  to  the  position  of  the 
army  on  this  frontier,  and  the  requirements  of  a  cam 
paign  against  San  Luis  Potosi,  the  suggestions  in 
the  Secretary's  letter  being  confined  to  this  general 
theatre  of  operations.  Should  the  Government  de 
termine  to  strike  a  decisive  blow  at  Mexico,  it  is  my 
opinion  that  the  force  should  land  near  Vera  Cruz 
or  Alvarado,  and,  after  establishing  a  secure  depot, 
march  thence  on  the  capital.  The  amount  of  troops 
required  for  this  service  would  not  fall  short,  in  my 
judgment,  of  twenty-five  thousand  men,  of  which  at 
least  ten  thousand  should  be  regular  troops. 

"In  conclusion,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  make  some 
remarks  which  I  would  gladly  have  been  spared  the 
necessity  of  submitting.  I  feel  it  due  to  my  posi 
tion,  and  to  the  service,  to  record  my  protest  against 
the  manner  in  which  the  Department  has  sought  to 
make  an  important  detachment  from  my  command, 
specifically  indicating  not  only  the  general  officers, 
but,  to  a  considerable  extent,  the  troops  that  were 
to  compose  it.  While  I  remain  in  command  of  the 
army  against  Mexico,  and  am  therefore  justly  held 


2i6  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

responsible  by  the  Government  and  the  country  for 
the  conduct  of  its  operations,  I  must  claim  the  right 
of  organizing  all  detachments  from  it,  and  regulating 
the  time  and  manner  of  their  service.  Above  all  do 
I  consider  it  important  that  the  Department  of  War 
should  refrain  from  corresponding  directly  with  my 
subordinates,  and  communicating  orders  and  instruc 
tions  on  points  which,  by  all  military  precept  and 
practice,  pertain  exclusively  to  the  general  in  chief 
command.  Confusion  and  disaster  alone  can  result 
from  such  a  course.  The  reason  alleged — viz.,  the 
loss  of  time  in  communicating  with  General  Patter 
son — has  no  application  ;  for  the  Secretary's  dispatch 
came  from  that  office  to  my  headquarters  in  sixty 
hours,  and  he  could  not  move,  at  any  rate,  without 
drawing  largely  upon  this  column  for  artillery  and 
regular  troops. 

"I  beg  it  may  be  understood  that  my  remarks 
have  no  personal  application.  It  is  quite  probable 
that,  in  the  event  of  making  such  a  detachment,  I 
would  have  placed  it  under  Major-General  Patterson  ; 
but  I  conceive  that  this  mode  of  regulating  details, 
and  ordering  detachments  direct  from  the  Department 
of  War,  is  a  violation  of  the  integrity  of  the  chief 
command  in  the  field,  pregnant  with  the  worst  evils, 
and  against  which  I  deem  it  my  duty  respectfully  but 
earnestly  to  protest.  I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

your  obedient  servant, 

"Z.  TAYLOR, 

"Major-General  U.  S.  A.,  commanding. 
"  THE  ADJUTANT-GENERAL  OF  THE  ARMY,   Washington,  D.  C" 
This  dignified  communication  exhibits  the  manli 
ness  and  ability  of  the  writer,  and  shows  how  nearly 
his  views,  without  any  consultation   whatever  with 


FUTURE   PLANS   DISCUSSED. 


217 


him,  coincided  in  the  main  with  those  of  General 
Winfield  Scott.  That  idea  of  living  upon  the  country 
originated  outside  of  the  country  itself.  The  whole 
region  near  the  Sierra  Madre  was  too  desolate  and 
unproductive  to  warrant  any  extraordinary  foraging, 
so  that  only  partial  supply  could  be  counted  on. 
They  had  secured  the  simplest  food — viz.,  bread  and 
meat — by  prompt  cash  payments,  and  at  very  rea 
sonable  figures;  and  General  Taylor  believed,  and 
with  reason,  that  should  a  system  of  armed  en 
forcement  be  introduced — that  is,  to  take  provisions 
without  pay — the  people  of  the  country,  sympathiz 
ing  with  their  own  Government,  would  plant  fewer 
crops,  or  destroy  what  they  had.  So  that  it  was  in 
no  spirit  of  weak  opposition  that  he  insisted  for  the 
time  upon  purchasing  and  having  the  means  of  pur 
chase.  In  one  letter  the  good  general  remarks : 
"  Should  the  army  in  its  future  operations  reach  a 
portion  of  the  country  which  can  be  made  to  supply 
the  provisions  with  advantage,  I  shall  not  fail  to  con 
form  to  the  wishes  and  instructions  of  the  Department 
in  this  particular." 

Just  as  soon  as  President  Polk  decided  against 
the  length  of  the  armistice,  he  communicated  with 
General  Taylor,  and  so,  as  speedily  as  possible,  the 
Mexican  commanders  were  notified  that  hostilities 
would  be  resumed  on  the  i3th  of  November. 

With  a  view  to  comprehend  the  whole  situation  in 
that  Tamaulipas  region  at  this  date,  we  remark  that 
General  Wool  was  in  command  of  another  column, 
already  alluded  to,  moving  under  information  which 
did  not  prove  reliable  or  practicable,  aiming  to  reach 
and  hold  the  province  of  Chihuahua,  and  striking 
for  its  central  city.  He  left  San  Antonio  on  Sep- 


2Ig  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

tember  28,  crossing  the  Rio  Grande  at  the  Pre 
sidio,  and  by  November  3  his  forces  had  reached 
Monclova.  Wool  had  principally  volunteers  from 
Arkansas,  Illinois,  and  Kentucky,  two  batteries  of 
regular  artillery,  having  with  them  six  field-guns — in 
all  about  twenty-five  hundred  men.  As  General 
Taylor,  in  camp  at  Monterey,  was  facing  southward, 
this  force  was  now  to  his  rear  some  seventy-five 
miles  distant ;  so  that  when  General  Wool  reported 
to  him,  it  was  a  long  line  that  he  was  holding,  or 
soon  to  hold,  with  not  to  exceed  six  thousand  men — 
a  line  extending  from  Monclova  through  Saltillo 
and  Vittoria  to  Tampico  on  the  Gulf.  Of  course, 
Monterey  had  to  be  firmly  held  as  a  depot  and  most 
important  strategic  point  in  any  event  for  Taylor's 
operations. 


^KttSf 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Planning  to  take  Saltillo — Worth's  division  on  the  lead — General 
Worth's  column— Its  line  of  march— Jose  Maria's  letter- 
Mexican  feeling— Worth  and  Taylor  meet— Return  to  Mon 
terey — Patterson's  movements  approved  by  Taylor — General 
Scott  comes  to  the  front — Secretary  of  War  writes — Taylor 
replies,  and  makes  just  complaints — Scott's  good  letter — Re 
marks  eulogistic  of  two  remarkable  heroes. 

As  soon  as  Taylor  felt  strong  enough,  the  armis 
tice  having  been  terminated,  and  being  notified  of 
the  position  of  General  Wool  at  Monclova,  and  also 
being  assured  that  Wool  would  now  form  part  of  his 
active  command,  he  decided  to  move  forward  and 
at  least  take  Saltillo.  He  had  briefly  recorded  his 
reasons.  Substantially,  he  said :  First,  Saltillo  is  a 
necessary  outpost  for  Monterey,  standing,  as  it  does, 
near  the  issue  of  the  defile  that  passes  from  the 
lower  lands  to  the  lofty  table-lands.  Second,  it  is 
near  the  route  from  Monclova,  so  that  a  hostile  force 
at  Saltillo  would  prevent  strategic  connection  with 
Wool's  force.  Third,  it  held  open  a  region  filled 
with  cattle,  breadstuffs,  and  other  supplies ;  it  made 
the  fertile  country  around  Parras  available  to  his 
army.  Fourth,  it  was  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
Coahuila,  a  point  essential  to  take  and  keep,  from  its 
civil  as  well  as  its  military  importance. 

That  General  Taylor  did  not  at  this  time— that  is, 


220  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

early  in  November,  1846 — contemplate  any  ambitious 
forward  movement  into  the  heart  of  the  country — 
say,  to  San  Luis  Potosi — is  evident  from  an  expression 
in  a  dispatch:  "  I  consider,"  he  avers,  "the  occupa 
tion  of  that  point  "  (Saltillo)  "  as  a  necessary  comple 
ment  to  our  operations,  and  to  the  policy  of  holding 
a  defensive  line,  as  the  Sierra  Madre,  and  trust  the 
Department  will  concur  with  me  in  this  view."  It 
was  as  if  one  said,  To  keep  back  the  sea,  the  dyke  is 
the  barrier  ;  but  the  dyke  would  avail  little  without 
holding  in  strength  and  repair  the  principal  gate. 
The  mountain  range  was  a  good  dyke  against  the 
waves  of  Mexican  hordes  ;  but  Saltillo,  the  capital, 
furnished  the  gate  of  ingress.  There  is  another  idea 
that  the  thoughtful  general  ever  bore  in  mind,  that 
the  left  of  his  new  strategic  line  was  Tampico  on 
the  Gulf.  He  already  planned  to  push  forward  suf 
ficient  forces,  if  he  could  possibly  ever  get  them  in 
hand,  to  take  first  Vittoria  and  then  Tampico.  For 
the  latter  enterprise  he  could,  as  we  have  seen,  un 
doubtedly  count  upon  co-operation  from  the  navy, 
and  other  direct  aid  from  the  War  Department. 

On  November  i2th  General  Taylor  started 
Worth's  division  for  that  important  capital  of  the 
province.  Worth  had  two  regular  regiments  of  in 
fantry,  eight  companies  of  artillery  that  acted  as  in 
fantry,  eight  pieces  of  field  artillery,  and  one  good 
company  of  volunteers,  having  in  this  small  detach 
ment  an  aggregate  of  about  two  thousand  effectives. 
General  Wool,  who  had  asked  for  orders,  was  in 
structed  by  General  Taylor  to  remain  at  Monclova 
till  he  (Taylor)  could  consider  the  situation  from  the 
new  standpoint  of  Saltillo.  The  next  day,  the  i3th, 
he  took  two  squadrons  of  dragoons  for  escort  and 


THE   SIERRA   MADRE   LINE.  221 

put  himself  on  the  road.  The  entire  distance  from 
Monterey  to  Saltillo  is  sixty-five  miles.  The  way  is 
rough  enough,  but  picturesque  and  comfortable,  for 
horsemen.  He  had  hardly  come  within  the  borders  of 
the  classic  land  of  Coahuila  when  he  was  met  by  a 
courier  from  the  Governor,  who  was  still  at  Sal 
tillo.  The  courier  took  to  General  Taylor  a  brief 
communication,  which  should  form  a  part  of  this 
story.  It  is  as  follows  : 

41  SALTILLO,  November  16,  1846. 
"  GOD  AND  LIBERTY  ! 

"  The  movement  you  are  making  with  the  forces 
under  your  command  leaves  no  doubt  that  your  ob 
ject  is  to  invade  this  city,  as  have  been  the  greater 
part  of  the  towns  of  Coahuila  by  the  troops  which 
have  advanced  to  Monclova.  The  want  of  arms  in 
this  State  leaves  me  no  means  to  oppose  force  to 
force,  and  will  enable  you  to  occupy  this  capital  with 
out  opposition,  and  compel  me  to  retire  from  it;  but 
in  doing  so,  I  ought  and  I  desire  to  place  upon  rec 
ord,  in  the  most  authentic  manner,  this  protest, 
which  I  solemnly  make,  in  the  name  of  the  State  of 
Coahuila,  against  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  of  the  North  for  the  usurpation  of  the  terri 
tory  occupied  by  their  arms,  for  the  outrages  and 
damages  which  may  accrue  to  the  persons  and  prop 
erty  of  the  inhabitants  of  these  defenseless  towns, 
for  the  injuries  the  public  interests  may  suffer,  and 
for  all  the  evils  consequent  upon  the  most  unjustifi 
able  invasion  ever  known  to  the  world. 

"  JOSE"  MARIA  DE  AGUIRRE. 
"  MAJOR-GENERAL  TAYLOR, 
"  General-in-Chief  of  the  Arniy  of  the  United  States" 


222  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Jose  Aguirre  was  right  in  his  interpretation  of 
the  intentions  of  General  Taylor;  and  really,  in  this 
brief  paper,  he  set  forth  the  common  feeling  among 
the  Mexicans  of  that  time  touching  General  Taylor's 
whole  campaign,  as  "  the  most  unjustifiable  invasion 
ever  known  to  the  world."  Yet  probably  to-day 
nearly  the  universal  sentiment  is  the  other  way ;  for 
to  the  permanently  acquired  parts  of  Old  Mexico — 
viz.,  California,  Arizona,  New  Mexico — there  have 
come  all  the  blessings  and  prosperity  of  the  most 
favorable  parts  of  the  world,  and  to  the  unsevered 
States  the  improvements  are  wonderful,  and  good 
fortune  has  resulted  directly  and  indirectly  to  all  of 
Mexico  from  that  war  of  invasion.  The  causes  may 
have  been  insufficient,  and  the  motive  of  war  on  the 
part  of  the  Administration  may  have  been  wrong,  yet, 
as  it  was  with  the  sale  of  Joseph,  the  son  of  the  pa 
triarch,  to  the  Egyptians,  the  Lord  has  overruled  the 
acts  to  the  benefit  of  the  actors  and  mankind. 

Educated  as  General  Taylor  had  been  for  years 
in  frontier  conflicts,  battles  with  the  Indians,  and  in 
active  campaigning  of  two  wars,  his  conscience  con 
formed  readily  to  the  situation.  He  had  done  what 
he  believed  to  be  his  plain  duty.  He  went  where  he 
was  ordered  by  his  Government  to  go.  He  fought 
the  battles  that  this  obedience  brought ;  and  after 
the  Mexicans  had  declared  war,  he  pushed  the  war, 
never  violating  its  rules,  and  inclining  strongly  to 
the  side  of  humanity.  He  nevertheless,  from  his 
nature  as  well  as  purpose,  pushed  an  offensive  cam 
paign  when  it  was  necessitated  with  unparalleled 
vigor,  and  then,  holding  the  conquered  territory  with 
tenacity,  cherished  a  hope  that  our  forces  would  be 
able  speedily  to  conquer  an  honorable  peace.  Such 


THE   SIERRA   MADRE    LINE.  223 

being  his  character  and  his  principles,  he  carefully 
read  the  protest  of  the  Governor  of  Coahuila  without 
for  an  instant  delaying  his  march.  That  very  day 
in  which  the  letter  was  written  General  Worth  had 
entered  Saltillo  without  a  combat.  Here,  a  little 
later,  General  Taylor  himself  joined  him. 

The  city  of  Parras  is  on  the  road  from  Mon- 
clova,  about  sixty  miles  distant  from  Saltillo  ;  in  fact, 
Monterey,  Parras,  and  Saltillo  form  nearly  an  equi 
lateral  triangle ;  so  that  it  was  natural,  after  an  ex 
amination  of  the  country,  for  General  Taylor  to 
bring  Wool's  force  forward  to  Parras.  This  would 
enable  the  general  to  cover  by  his  garrisons  and 
his  scouting  parties  vastly  more  of  the  rich  country 
of  that  table-land.  In  a  couple  of  days,  by  easy 
marches,  he  could  bring  General  Wool  to  his  own 
support,  or  move  him  farther  forward  in  case  of 
need.  For  these  reasons  General  Wool  was  posted 
at  Parras.  Having  thoroughly  reconnoitered  the 
whole  front,  and  gathered  all  the  information  with 
reference  to  any  hostile  plans  in  his  vicinity,  Gen 
eral  Taylor,  to  better  attend  to  his  whole  field  of 
operations,  returned  to  Monterey,  taking  only  half 
of  his  cavalry  escort  with  him.  General  Worth  re 
quired  the  remainder  for  the  purpose  of  watching 
his  extensive  front. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Monterey,  General  Tay 
lor  discovered  that  his  plans  with  reference  to 
Tampico  had  already  been  anticipated  by  the  navy, 
and  that,  on  November  i4th,  Commodore  Perry  with 
his  naval  squadron  had  seized  and  was  holding  that 
port.  General  Patterson,  who  was  at  the  time  com 
manding  in  the  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande,  received  a 
letter  from  the  naval  commander  requesting  that  he 


224 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


furnish  sufficient  troops  to  make  Tampico  secure. 
General  Patterson  at  once  sent  to  him  six  companies 
of  infantry,  and  went  on  without  special  authority  to 
transport  by  sea  the  requisite  provisions — that  is, 
guns,  ammunition,  and  other  supplies.  This  action 
was  at  once  reported  to  his  own  commander,  General 
Taylor,  and  received  his  prompt  and  hearty  approv 
al  ;  and,  to  make  matters  doubly  secure,  Taylor  di 
rected  him,  as  soon  as  possible,  to  increase  the  force 
by  an  entire  regiment  of  volunteers. 

At  this  juncture  of  events  the  field  of  operations  in 
Mexico  was  suddenly  enlarged,  and  the  senior  ma 
jor-general  of  the  army,  General  Winfield  Scott,  was 
made  to  bear  a  most  important  part  in  the  further 
prosecution  of  the  war.  In  one  of  the  eulogies  upon 
General  Scott  soon  after  his  death  are  to  be  found 
a  few  expressions,  which,  in  a  proper  estimation  of 
his  character,  appear  to  be  explicit  and  exact : 
"  General  Scott  was  throughout  his  long  life  consci 
entious  in  the  discharge  not  only  of  his  official  but 
of  his  social  and  religious  duties.  .  .  .  His  devotion 
to  his  conscientious  convictions  could  not  have  been 
better  illustrated  than  by  his  conduct  at  different 
times  in  preventing  the  outbreaking  of  war  between 
his  own  and  another  country.  .  .  .  General  Scott 
was  an  intrepid  man,  but  only  in  a  just  cause;  he 
was  impetuous,  but  only  in  assaulting  the  base  and 
unworthy;  he  was  a  proud  man,  but  he  respected 
authority;  he  was  ambitious,  but  only  of  an  honor 
able  renown.  .  .  .He  was  one  of  the  most  vigor 
ous  and  amply  and  variously  endowed  of  our  public 
men.  In  the  course  of  a  long  life  he  was  frequently 
applauded,  and  once  hailed  pacificator  and  once 
savior  of  his  country ;  yet  he  was  content  and  proud 


THE   SIERRA    MADRE   LINE. 

to  be  thought — what  in  truth  and  in  the  highest 
sense  he  was — a  Christian  gentleman."  The  writer 
subscribes  very  fully  to  this  estimate  of  General 
Winfield  Scott,  so  that  he  repudiates  at  once  any 
statements  going  to  show  that  in  the  year  1846  Gen 
eral  Scott  planned  or  proposed  to  carry  out  the  plans 
of  others  against  his  lifelong  friend  and  fellow-sol 
dier,  General  Zachary  Taylor,  who  had  but  lately 
attained  to  Scott's  army  grade. 

It  may  be  wise,  just  here,  to  set  forth  a  few  plain 
facts  which  will  show  the  cordial  relationship  of 
these  two  great  men  at  this  time,  and  how  it  came 
about  that  when  Scott  entered  upon  his  campaign — 
which  only  ended  at  the  City  of  Mexico — he  so  de 
pleted  the  army  of  General  Taylor  that  the  latter 
was  left  much  crippled,  and  ostensibly  on  the  defen 
sive  ;  but  even  for  that,  with  too  few  troops  to  guard 
the  doors  of  approach  against  any  considerable  force 
which  the  new  Mexican  President  and  General,  Santa 
Anna,  might  bring  against  him. 

When  requested  by  his  Commander-in-Chief — the 
President  of  the  United  States — to  submit  a  plan  of 
operations  which  should,  in  his  opinion,  result  in  the 
conquering  of  a  peace  with  Mexico,  General  Scott 
had  at  once  obeyed  the  instructions,  and  furnished 
to  the  President  a  clear  and  explicit  paper  that  indi 
cated  the  plans,  the  forces,  and  the  material  essential 
to  a  complete  and  vigorous  offensive  campaign. 
Herein  Scott,  as  was  his  wont,  covered  the  whole 
ground.  About  November  18,  1846,  orders  were  sent 
to  him  to  proceed  to  Vera  Cruz  and  take  the  imme 
diate  command  of  the  army  in  the  field.  The  de 
signs  of  the  Administration  were  not  only  made 
known  to  General  Scott,  but  also  by  Mr.  Marcy,  the 


226  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Secretary  of  War,  to  General  Taylor.  Some  extracts 
from  the  Secretary's  letter,  dated  October  22d,  are 
essential  to  this  history.  He  first  indicated  to  Gen 
eral  Taylor  that  it  had  been  determined  that,  so  soon 
as  Tampico  had  been  taken,  an  organized  attempt 
would  be  made  to  effect  a  lodgment  at  Vera  Cruz. 
He  then  went  on  to  say :  "  If  the  expedition  could 
go  forth  without  the  object  being  known  to  the  ene 
my,  it  is  supposed  that  four  thousand  troops  would 
be  sufficient  for  the  enterprise,  receiving,  as  they 
would,  the  co-operation  of  our  naval  force  in  the 
gulf ;  but  at  least  fifteen  hundred  or  two  thousand  of 
them  should  be  of  the  regular  army,  and  under  the  com 
mand  of  officers  best  calculated  for  such  an  undertaking. 
In  looking  at  the  disposition  of  the  troops,  //  appears 
to  be  scarcely  possible  to  get  the  requisite  number  of  regu 
lars  without  drawing  some  of  those  now  with  you  at  Mon 
terey,  or  on  the  way  to  that  place.  Should  you  decide 
against  holding  military  possession  of  any  place  in 
Coahuila  or  Chihuahua,  and  order  the  troops  under 
General  Wool  to  join  you,  it  is  presumed  that  the 
requisite  force  for  the  expedition  to  Vera  Cruz  could 
be  detached  without  interfering  with  your  plans  of 
operation.  You  will  therefore,  unless  it  materially 
interferes  with  your  own  plan  of  operations,  or 
weakens  you  too  much  in  your  present  position, 
make  the  necessary  arrangements  for  having  four 
thousand  men,  of  whom  fifteen  hundred  or  two 
thousand  should  be  regular  troops,  ready  to  embark 
for  Vera  Cruz,  or  such  other  destination  as  may  be 
given  them,  at  the  earliest  practicable  period.  The 
place  of  embarkation  will  probably  be  the  Brazos 
Santiago,  or  in  that  vicinity." 

The  next  day  Mr.  Marcy  wroTe  General  Scott. 


THE   SIERRA   MADRE    LINE.  22/ 

After  detailing  a  little  of  the  object  of  the  expedi 
tion,  he  proceeded  to  say  :  "  It  is  not  proposed  to 
control  your  operations  by  definite  and  positive  in 
structions,  but  you  are  left  to  prosecute  them  as 
your  judgment,  under  a  full  view  of  the  circum 
stances,  shall  dictate.  The  work  is  before  you,  and 
the  means  provided  or  to  be  provided  for  accom 
plishing  it  are  committed  to  you,  in  the  full  confi 
dence  that  you  will  use  them  to  the  best  advantage. 
The  objects  which  it  is  desirable  to  obtain  have  been 
indicated,  and  it  is  hoped  that  you  will  have  the 
requisite  force  to  accomplish  them.  Of  this  you 
must  be  the  judge,  when  preparations  are  made  and 
the  time  for  action  has  arrived." 

It  may  be  well  for  us  to  enumerate  some  of  the 
articles  that  were  to  be  provided.  The  most  impor 
tant,  ten  new  regiments  to  be  added  to  the  regular 
army,  and  placed  under  his  command.  Congress 
was  to  be  asked  to  sanction  this  increase  as  soon 
after  its  meeting — the  ist  of  December — as  possible. 
Next,  a  siege  train  was  to  be  formed  and  forwarded 
immediately,  the  guns  and  carriages  to  be  obtained 
from  convenient  arsenals ;  and,  again,  there  were  to 
be  also  ample  vessels  for  transportation,  including 
the  small  boats  and  lighters  for  landing  the  troops 
and  supplies.  General  Scott,  though  an  ardent 
Whig,  and  not  politically  in  sympathy  with  the  Ad 
ministration,  had  doubtless  chafed  a  little  at  being 
kept  in  the  background  during  an  important  war ; 
but  now,  full  of  hope  that  party  lines  had  been 
passed,  and  that  the  President  and  Secretary  were 
reposing  full  confidence  in  him,  he  set  out  from  the 
capital,  November  24,  1846,  to  inaugurate  the  pro 
jected  campaign. 


228  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Edward  D.  Mansfield,  LL.  D.,  says:  "The  only 
reluctance  which  Scott  felt  in  accepting  the  high 
trust  confided  in  him  by  the  President  arose  from  an 
unwillingness  to  interfere  in  the  slightest  degree  with 
the  command  of  an  old  friend  and  brother-soldier." 
Surely  nothing  shows  this  better  than  a  letter  that  he 
wrote  en  route  to  that  brother-soldier,  General  Taylor: 
"  I  left  Washington  late  in  the  day  yesterday,  and 
expect  to  embark  for  New  Orleans  the  3oth  instant. 
By  the  i2th  of  December  I  may  be  in  that  city,  at 
Point  Isabel  the  i7th,  and  Carmago,  say,  the  23d,  in 
order  to  be  within  easy  corresponding  distance  from 
you.  It  is  not  probable  that  I  may  be  able  to  visit 
Monterey,  and  circumstances  may  prevent  your 
coming  to  me.  I  shall  much  regret  not  having  an 
early  opportunity  of  felicitating  you  in  person  upon 
your  many  brilliant  achievements  ;  but  we  may  meet 
somewhere  in  the  territory  of  Mexico. 

"  I  am  not  coming,  my  dear  general,  to  supersede 
you  in  the  immediate  command  on  the  line  of  opera 
tions  rendered  illustrious  by  you  and  your  gallant 
command.  My  proposed  theatre  is  different.  You 
may  imagine  it ;  and  I  wish  very  much  that  it  were 
prudent,  at  this  distance,  to  tell  you  all  that  I  expect 
to  attempt  or  hope  to  execute.  I  have  been  admon 
ished  that  dispatches  have  been  lost,  and  I  have  no 
special  messenger  at  hand. 

"But,  my  dear  general,  I  shall  be  obliged  to  take 
from  you  most  of  the  gallant  officers  and  men  (regu 
lars  and  volunteers)  whom  you  have  so  long  and 
nobly  commanded.  I  am  afraid  that  I  shall,  by  im 
perious  necessity — the  approach  of  yellow  fever  on 
the  Gulf  coast — reduce  you,  for  a  time,  to  stand  on 
the  defensive.  This  will  be  infinitely  painful  to  you, 


THE    SIERRA    MADRE    LINE. 


229 


and  for  that  reason  distressing  to  me  ;  but  I  rely 
upon  your  patriotism  to  submit  to  the  temporary 
sacrifice  with  cheerfulness.  No  man  can  better  afford 
to  do  so.  Recent  victories  place  you  on  the  high  emi 
nence  ;  and  I  even  flatter  myself  that  any  benefit  that 
may  result  to  me  personally  from  the  unequal  divis 
ion  of  troops  alluded  to  will  lessen  the  pain  of  your 
consequent  inactivity.  You  will  be  aware  of  the  re 
cent  call  for  nine  regiments  of  new  volunteers,  in 
cluding  one  of  Texas  horse.  The  President  may  soon 
ask  for  many  more,  and  we  are  not  without  hope 
that  Congress  may  add  ten  or  twelve  to  the  regular 
establishment.  These,  by  the  spring — say,  April — 
may  by  the  aid  of  large  bounties,  be  in  the  field, 
should  Mexico  not  earlier  propose  terms  of  accom 
modation  ;  and,  long  before  the  spring  (March)  it  is 
probable  you  will  be  again  in  force  to  resume  offen 
sive  operations. 

"  It  was  not  possible  for  me  to  find  time  to  write 
from  Washington,  as  I  much  desired.  I  only  re 
ceived  an  intimation  to  hold  myself  in  preparation 
for  Mexico  on  the  i8th  instant.  Much  has  been 
done  toward  that  end,  and  more  remains  to  be  exe 
cuted." 

It  is  painful  to  find  that  the  then  existing  Ad 
ministration  did  not  deal  ingenuously  with  either 
Scott  or  Taylor;  for,  before  projecting  this  planned 
campaign  via  Vera  Cruz,  it  had  already  been  secretly 
determined  to  urge  upon  Congress  to  revive  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-general,  and  select  some  able 
man,  who  was  politically  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
President  and  his  party,  to  fill  the  office.  By  this 
project  it  was  hoped  more  surely  to  reap  the  fruits 
of  the  new  victories,  and  those  to  be  expected  under 
16 


230 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


the  leadership  of  General  Scott.  It  seems  incredible 
that  President  Polk,  in  his  last  interview  with  this 
noble  commander  of  the  army,  when  sending  him 
forth  upon  an  active  campaign  to  fight  the  battles  of 
his  country,  should  have  withheld  from  him  his  in 
tentions  to  so  soon  supersede  him;  and  "  it  is  a  little 
worse  on  that  occasion,"  as  Edward  D.  Mansfield, 
says,  "  to  have  given  him  the  most  solemn  assur 
ances  of  his  confidence  and  support." 

In  corroboration  of  all  these  statements  is  the 
plain  fact  that,  as  soon  as  Congress  assembled,  the 
President's  bill  was  introduced  to  establish  the  new 
rank  of  lieutenant-general.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
what  was  then  deemed  party  necessity  and  unity  of 
administration  were  operating  in  two  ways :  first,  to 
supersede  both  of  these  indomitable  heroes  and  great 
soldiers;  and,  secondly,  to  so  place  and  use  them 
that  whatever  might  be  their  successes  they  could 
not  very  well  be  conjoined;  and,  further,  to  so  an 
tagonize  their  interests  that  a  natural  rivalry  would 
abate  and  hold  in  check  the  fame  of  both.  It  is 
plain  that  General  Scott  in  a  measure  opened  the 
sack  and  defeated  the  latter  intentions,  by  his  noble 
letter  to  General  Taylor.  However,  the  party  neces 
sity  went  a  step  further :  it  led  the  Administration 
and  the  friends  of  the  Administration  in  Congress  to 
postpone  any  contemplated  additions  to  the  regular 
army,  which  were  deemed  by  General  Scott  so  mate 
rial  to  success  in  Mexico,  until  the  very  last  of  the 
session. 

The  writer  may  not  claim  that  the  treachery — it 
is  too  strong  a  word — but  very  properly  that  the 
political  planning,  was  altogether  defeated  by  these 
two  wonderful  men  and  brother-officers.  The  one 


THE   SIERRA    MADRE    LINE. 


23I 


(Scott)  carried  forward  a  long  and  successful  cam 
paign  with  half  the  promised  force — with  far  less  than 
that  with  which  he  deemed  success  possible.  The 
other  (Taylor)  as  we  shall  see,  however  irritated, 
however  reduced  in  numbers,  rose  above  all  the 
oppositions  and  all  the  adverse  environments,  to 
secure  a  final  and  glorious  victory  before  sitting 
down  to  defend  the  newly  acquired  territory  left  to  his 
care.  History  plainly  shows  that  it  was  the  Lord's 
work,  and  that  he  could  and  did  strengthen  his  serv 
ants  to  conquer  by  the  few  rather  than  by  the  many. 
Viewing  matters  as  we  can  now,  nearly  fifty 
years  after  the  events,  in  the  clear  light  of  history, 
we  behold  these  two  campaigns  of  Taylor  and  Scott 
as  parts  of  a  unique  whole  fitting  each  other.  Tay 
lor  preceded,  cleared  Texas  and  the  Rio  Grande, 
swept  everything  before  him  to  Monterey,  and  occu 
pied  that  city,  a  fortified  stronghold.  The  fewness 
of  his  troops  in  each  battle  had  eventuated  in  dem 
onstrating  the  ability  of  the  man,  the  confident  cour 
age  of  his  army,  and  the  glory  of  his  country.  On 
this  as  a  foundation  General  Scott  began  to  build. 
He  came  to  the  front,  he  took  Taylor's  disciplined 
troops.  While  Taylor  was  holding  the  main  Mexi 
can  army  in  check,  Scott  was  not  idle ;  he  came  up 
abreast,  and,  himself  with  about  half  the  forces  prom 
ised  him,  went  straight  forward  to  take  Vera  Cruz 
and  open  his  new  lines  of  operations.  Before  long, 
Scott  drew  upon  himself,  as  another  representative 
American,  the  eyes  of  friend  and  foe  throughout  the 
world.  We  behold  again  a  splendid  exhibition  of 
ability,  courage,  and  the  completeness  of  success. 
There  were,  between  leaders  and  officials,  misunder 
standings,  heart-burnings,  controversies — at  times 


232  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

evidences  of  the  miasmatic  influences  that  hover 
over  low  lands  and  poison  those  who  can  not  get  up 
to  higher  levels.  But  long  before  the  end  of  the 
work  these  two  heroes  had  ascended  to  the  very 
mountain-tops  of  fame ;  and  now  it  is  delightful  to 
find  so  much  evidence  of  brotherly  courtesy  and 
kindness  between  them,  and  that  they  were  men  of 
such  exalted  virtue  that  neither  envy,  revenge,  nor 
malice  could  canker  their  souls. 

Just  then,  when  General  Scott  was  beginning  his 
campaigns,  General  Taylor  was  destined  to  suffer 
most.  His  best  troops  must  go.  He  has  to  take 
the  descent  into  the  valley  of  bitter  disappointments 
just  after  the  censures  thrown  out  against  his  capitu 
lation  and  armistice  at  Monterey.  He  must  now 
stand  on  the  defensive  against  the  Mexicans,  without 
sufficient  supplies,  wagons,  guns,  or  men  to  render 
the  defensive  scheme  at  all  practicable.  He  might 
possibly  get  General  Wool  and  his  Chihuahua  col 
umn  into  co-operation  and  conjunction,  provided  he 
(Wool)  could  not  get  over  the  mountains  to  Chihua 
hua.  The  way  to  General  Taylor  seemed  for  a  time 
shut  up.  Disaster,  perhaps,  or  a  series  of  defeats, 
awaited  him,  and  his  countrymen  might  see  him 
forced  to  abandon  all  that  frontage  from  Tampico  to 
Monclova.  He  might  be  cut  off  from  Camargo  by  a 
small  cavalry  corps  of  the  enemy,  be  obliged  to  go 
back — like  Sherman,  after  Atlanta  had  been  won — 
to  the  Rio  Grande,  and  perhaps  to  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  Where  was  the  force  adequate  to  do 
what  even  General  Scott  thought  must  be  done — viz., 
stand  still,  defend  and  keep  Monterey  ?  These  were 
sad  reflections,  very  dark  prospects.  With  his  grand 
troops  all  gone  except  a  few  regular  batteries,  pray 


THE    SIERRA   MADRE    LINE.  233 

what  was  left  to  prevent  defeat  and  disgrace  ?  Why, 
Zachary  Taylor  was  left !  He  was  there  at  Mon 
terey,  and  though  he  pleaded  for  the  privilege  of 
going  with  Scott  as  a  subordinate  commander,  the 
plea  was  not  granted  ;  and  thanks  be  to  the  foreseeing 
Providence  that  said  to  him,  "  Stay  thou  there  at 
Monterey,  gird  up  thy  loins,  buckle  on  thine  armor, 
for  there  is  a  gigantic  work  yet  for  thee  to  accom 
plish."  It  is  good  for  a  great  soul  at  times  to  suffer 
affliction,  for  that  soul  is  sure  to  emerge  therefrom 
purified  and  enlarged.  The  remaining  story  will 
justify  this  old-fashioned  statement,  that  General 
Zachary  Taylor,  as  he  had  been  throughout  the  war, 
was  the  right  man  for  the  time  and  place. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

CAMPAIGN    AND    BATTLE    OF    BUENA    VISTA. 

Preliminary  to  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista— Why  Scott  was  obliged 
to  levy  upon  General  Taylor's  army — Worth  and  Wool's 
movements — Saltillo — The  advance  to  Agua  Nuevo — The 
falling  back  to  Angostura — Posting  of  the  troops  for  battle — 
Visit  of  Taylor  to  Saltillo  and  return — Santa  Anna's  advance 
from  San  Luis  Potosi — Santa  Anna's  letter  demanding  the 
surrender  of  Taylor — Taylor's  prompt  reply,  declining — Santa 
Anna's  dispositions. 

WHEN  Scott  reached  the  Rio  Grande  the  new 
year  of  1847  was  already  there.  The  messages  that 
followed  him  from  Washington,  from  officials  and 
from  friends,  were  very  discouraging,  and  it  soon 
became  evident  that  he  had  nothing  to  rely  upon 
except  what  force  he  could  draw  from  General  Tay 
lor's  field  of  operations,  if  he  added,  perhaps,  a  few 
new  levies  of  volunteers  and  the  assistance  that  the 
navy  would  cheerfully  furnish. 

Santa  Anna  had  already  begun  to  accumulate  a 
considerable  army  in  front  of  Taylor.  At  a  central 
point— San  Luis  Potosi— the  strength  of  the  force,  as 
ascertained  by  Taylor's  scouts,  was  already  between 
twenty  and  twenty-five  thousand  men.  From  this 
point  the  wily  Santa  Anna  could  march  northward 
with  a  view  of  recovering  Coahuila ;  or  he  could  turn 
eastward  to  Tampico,  or  southeast  to  Vera  Cruz  ;  or, 


CAMPAIGN   AND   BATTLE   OF    BUENA  VISTA.  235 

should  necessity  demand  it,  return  for  a  larger  con 
centration  to  the  capital  of  Mexico.  By  the  capture 
and  slaying  of  an  important  courier  (Lieutenant 
Ritchie)  he  had  become  possessed  of  the  new  plans 
of  the  United  States  Government,  and  surely  he 
showed  the  ability  of  a  general  in  placing  his  largest 
force  at  this  important  strategic  center  (San  Luis 
Potosi).  At  that  time  Santa  Anna  held  Vera  Cruz 
with  about  seven  thousand  men.  Of  course,  it  be 
came  a  question  with  General  Scott,  which  he  must 
immediately  answer  :  "  What  is  the  wisest  thing  to 
do  under  the  circumstances  ?  " 

Now,  going  back  to  General  Taylor  at  Monterey, 
let  us  see  what  he  had  been  doing  while  General  Scott 
was  en  route  from  New  York  to  the  Rio  Grande. 
General  Twiggs's  division,  by  Taylor's  direction,  had 
passed  out  toward  Vittoria  on  the  i3th  of  December, 
and  General  Quitman,  the  enemy's  cavalry  retiring, 
with  his  famous  Louisiana  volunteers  entered  that 
city  on  the  29th.  A  little  earlier  (December  lyth),  the 
Second  Infantry  and  a  Tennessee  regiment  from  the 
Rio  Grande  had  re-enforced  Monterey ;  here  Gen 
eral  Butler  was  left  in  command.  General  Patterson, 
with  his  Illinois  brigade,  was  pushing  on  via  Vittoria 
toward  Tampico  to  fulfill  his  instructions,  hereto 
fore  alluded  to.  On  the  4th  of  January,  about  the 
date  of  Scott's  arrival  at  Matamoros,  General  Tay 
lor  himself,  escorted  by  Twiggs's  division  and  Pat 
terson's  brigade,  joined  General  Quitman  at  the  little 
city  of  Vittoria,  the  front,  just  then,  of  his  field  of 
operations.  General  Worth,  with  his  proud  division, 
was  as  yet  back  at  Saltillo. 

A  sudden  rumor  that  Santa  Anna  was  coming  to 
destroy  Worth,  Butler,  and  perhaps  Wool,  in  detail, 


236  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

caused  an  immediate  concentration,  by  forced 
marches  of  Wool's  and  Butler's  troops  at  Saltillo 
The  rumor  was  not  really  true,  yet  it  served,  like  a 
ruse  de  guerre,  to  put  Taylor's  whole  force  in  position 
for  a  forward  movement.  Such  was  the  situation 
when,  at  Matamoros,  General  Scott  issued  his  cele 
brated  orders  assuming  command  of  all  the  troops  in 
active  campaign,  and  took  away  from  General  Taylor 
the  veterans  on  whom  he  was  relying  to  meet  the 
thousands  that  were  speedily  gathering  like  a  heavy 
cloud  along  his  front. 

General  Scott's  order  reached  General  Taylor 
November  i4th,  while  he  was  yet  at  Vittoria,  and, 
though  General  Taylor  had  been  warned  by  dis 
patches  from  Washington  that  he  would  be  obliged 
to  make  large  detachments,  yet  he  did  not  dream  of 
so  sweeping  an  order  as  that  which  now  came  to 
hand.  Neither  did  General  Scott,  primarily,  de 
sign  to  do  this;  but  as  he  looked  upon  the  whole 
field,  viewing  it,  as  such  men  must,  like  a  single  field 
of  battle,  Vera  Cruz,  and  not  San  Luis  Potosi,  became 
the  objective  point  for  the  main  attack — an  attack 
soon  to  be  made  by  his  forces.  This  order  swept 
away  all  the  regular  artillery  and  infantry  except 
four  batteries,  a  single  artillery  company  acting  as  in 
fantry,  and  two  companies  of  cavalry  ;  and  called  for 
the  veteran  volunteer  divisions  of  Worth,  Quitman, 
and  Twiggs,  together  with  the  later  levies  under  Pat 
terson.  Whatever  might  have  been  his  feelings,  Gen 
eral  Taylor  was  too  good  a  soldier  to  hesitate  an 
instant  in  his  obedience.  The  troops  were  imme 
diately  sent.  General  Worth,  with  his  division,  leav 
ing  Saltillo  in  the  charge  of  Wool,  made  his  way 
rapidly  to  Camargo  and  thence  down  the  river  to 


CAMPAIGN   AND   BATTLE   OF    BUENA  VISTA.  237 

Brazos,  seven  companies  of  the  Second  Dragoons 
marching  directly  to  the  latter  place,  where  Worth 
joined  General  Scott  in  person.  The  other  troops 
proceeded  straight  onward  to  Tampico,  whence  they 
were  taken  in  ample  time  for  the  exciting  operations 
at  Vera  Cruz  and  vicinity. 

How  keenly  General  Taylor  felt  these  acts,  in 
view  of  this  dividing  and  reducing  process,  may  be 
judged  by  a  brief  extract  from  a  private  letter  writ 
ten  in  February,  1847  :  "  I  have  been  stripped  by  the 
Government  of  regular  troops,  and  reduced  in  volun 
teers  ;  and,  thus  stripped  and  at  the  mercy  of  the  foe, 
have  been  expected  by  my  country  to  retreat  or  re 
sign.  I  shall  do  neither.  I  do  not  care  for  myself, 
but  feel  deeply  for  the  noble  soldiers  who  are  about 
to  be  sacrificed  by  their  country  "  (he  referred  here 
to  his  own  volunteers,  and  those  of  General  Wool, 
which  had  thus  far  scarcely  been  under  fire).  He 
says,  resolutely  :  "  We  shall  stand  still  and  give  them 
battle,  relying  on  a  just  Providence  for  a  right  re 
sult." 

There  are  no  better  tests  of  the  manhood  of  any 
leader  of  men  than  the  exhibit  he  makes  of  the  quali 
ties  of  his  soul  in  an  unexpected  emergency.  We 
have  seen  how  resolute  was  our  general  in  the  sud 
den  and  unexpected  loss  of  what  then  seemed  the 
reliable  portion  of  his  command.  The  picture  would 
be  incomplete  without  a  corresponding  exhibit  of  the 
gentleness  and  affection  which  he  had  for  those  about 
to  depart.  He  bids  them  Godspeed  in  the  follow 
ing  words:  "It  is  with  deep  sensibility  that  the 
commanding  general  finds  himself  separated  from 
the  troops  he  has  so  long  commanded.  To  those 
corps,  regular  and  volunteer,  who  have  shared  with 


238  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

him  the  active  services  of  the  field,  he  feels  the  at 
tachment  due  to  such  associations ;  while  to  those  who 
are  making  their  first  campaign,  he  must  express  his 
regret  that  he  can  not  participate  with  them  in  its 
eventful  scenes.  To  all,  both  officers  and  men,  he 
extends  his  heartfelt  wishes  for  their  continued  suc 
cess  and  happiness,  confident  that  their  achieve 
ments  on  another  theatre  will  redound  to  the  credit 
of  their  country  and  its  arms." 

As  General  Scott  had  kindly  advised  him  to  do, 
and  as  a  less  able,  less  patriotic,  and  less  bold  man 
than  Taylor  might  have  done,  the  War  Department 
was  confident  that  Taylor  would  now  fall  back  to 
Monterey  and  stand  wholly  upon  the  defensive.  It 
was  well  for  the  War  Department  and  for  General 
Scott  himself  that  he  did  not  do  that.  It  would  have 
cost  Scott  more  time,  more  means,  and  greater  losses 
of  soldiers  than  he  suffered,  and  perhaps  the  loss  of 
the  campaign,  had  General  Taylor  shown  the  least 
disposition  to  give  up  the  capital  of  Coahuila  and 
retreat  before  Santa  Anna's  advance  troops.  Gen 
eral  Santa  Anna  would  not  have  followed  him  far, 
for  he  knew  the  whole  American  plan  ;  he  knew 
how  Scott  was  moving  upon  Vera  Cruz  ;  how  he  had 
weakened  Taylor's  "  army  of  occupation  " ;  how 
Taylor  proposed  to  stay  upon  the  table-land  and  de 
fend  Saltillo  ;  for,  as  we  have  seen,  Santa  Anna  had 
taken  the  American  bearer  of  dispatches ;  he  had 
covered  all  the  roads  between  him  and  Taylor  with 
his  own  scouting  parties,  and  thus  picked  up  several 
American  scouts  and  foragers,  and  had  also  effectu 
ally  obstructed  the  usual  methods  of  gathering  news 
by  Taylor's  information-corps.  This  was  so  much 
the  case  that  General  Taylor  has  by  some  critics 


CAMPAIGN    AND    BATTLE    OF    BUENA   VISTA.  239 

been  pronounced  as  lacking  in  the  ability  to  discover 
an  enemy's  plans  and  doings. 

The  facts  are  that,  using  the  two  companies  of 
dragoons,  some  volunteer  cavalry,  and  a  battery  of 
artillery,  General  Taylor  had  constant,  well-timed 
reconnaissances  made.  The  last  such  party  went 
beyond,  Encarnacion,  passing  from  hacienda  to  ha 
cienda  into  the  immediate  presence  of  the  enemy's 
cavalry,  till  some  four  hundred  men,  under  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  May,  had  great  difficulty  in  saving  his 
observing  out-posts,  and  in  making  good  a  night  re 
treat  before  General  Minon's  squadrons. 

As  General  Taylor  had  now,  all  told,  only  four 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ten  men,  his  own  bold  for 
ward  move  from  Saltillo  through  Buena  Vista,  thread 
ing  the  passes  of  Angostura,  pushing  forward  as  far 
as  Agua  Nueva,  was  itself  an  essential  reconnais 
sance  ;  for  he  knew  very  well,  as  he  had  been  divided 
and  subdivided  for  the  benefit  of  the  Vera  Cruz  line, 
that  he  must  now  and  henceforth  keep  his  little  re 
maining  force  together,  or  'nearly  so,  for  he  would 
very  soon  need — as  he  did  a  quarter  of  a  century 
before  when  he  was  a  captain  at  Fort  Harrison — 
every  available  man.  His  information  obtained  was, 
it  is  true,  meager  ;  yet  he  did  ascertain  to  a  certainty 
that  Santa  Anna  had  nearly  five  times  his  own  ag 
gregate. 

To  Taylor  and  Wool,  on  the  morning  of  February 
2 ist,  Lieutenant-Colonel  May  brought  the  news  of 
the  rapid  advance  of  the  Mexicans.  These  Ameri 
can  generals  were  then  consulting  together  at  Agua 
Nueva.  A  short  time  afterward  Major  Benjamin 
McCulloch  came  in  from  observing  with  his  Texas 
Rangers.  He  reported  to  them  that  from  a  high 


240  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

point  he  had  obtained  views  of  a  large,  showy  Mexi 
can  force  of  cavalry,  artillery,  and  infantry,  at  least 
twenty  thousand  strong.  Now,  mark  the  prompti 
tude  of  General  Taylor's  action.  General  Wool  and 
several  others  had  noticed  and  already  called  Gen 
eral  Taylor's  attention  to  that  "  pass  of  Thermopylae," 
the  defile  of  Angostura.  It  was  some  thirteen  miles 
back,  just  south  of  the  little  hamlet  (hacienda)  of 
Buena  Vista.  It  was  a  strong  position  in  itself,  which 
could  only  have  been  turned  by  a  long  detour  to  the 
east.  The  general,  leaving  at  Agua  Nueva  a  rear-guard 
of  the  Arkansas  cavalry,  Colonel  Yell,  the  Kentucky 
cavalry,  Colonel  Marshall,  and  Steen's  regular  squad 
ron,  all  commanded  by  Marshall,  with  orders  to  aid 
the  removal  of  stores,  and  to  hold  on  as  long  as  possi 
ble,  "  at  once  put  his  other  troops  in  motion  for  the 
pass."  The  Mexican  commander  was  deceived  by 
this  quiet  work.  He  hoped  to  get  General  Minon's 
numerous  cavalry  in  Taylor's  rear  at  this  favorable 
spot  (Agua  Nueva),  come  upon  him  suddenly  with 
all  his  force,  and  so  gain  an  easy  victory.  To  this 
end  he  was  making  forced  marches  from  San  Luis 
Potosi,  and  with  insufficient  supplies  for  this  rugged 
mountain  region  he  was  pressing  recklessly  on.  But 
Santa  Anna  discovered,  at  midnight  of  the  2ist  of 
February,  only  a  small  detachment  to  be  trapped 
where  he  had  expected  an  army !  and  he  found  even 
this  force  under  good  leadership.  It  fought  actively, 
as  rear-guards  should,  and  fell  back  disputing  the 
ground,  till  it  struck  its  coveted  aid,  the  main  army 
at  the  Angostura  defile. 

Before  entering  into  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista 
itself  let  us  examine  more  critically  than  we  have 
yet  done  this  important  defile  and  its  neighborhood. 


erous  changes  of  positions  are 
omitted  to  avoid  confusion.  They 
ire  described  in  detail  in  the 
reports. 


:na  Vista  is  five 
miks  south  of  Sal- 
tillo,    and    twel 
miles    north   of 
AguaJfueva. 


PLAN 

OF  THE 

BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA 

FOUGHT 

February  22nd  &  23rd, 
1847. 

SCALEJDF  FEET 
0      1000     200<r3000~^000 


A,  Defile  held  by  Washington's  Battery  and  two  companies  of  the  First  Illinois 
Volunteers  ;  B,  six  companies  of  the  First  Illinois  ;  C,  Third  Indiana  Regiment ; 
D,  Second  Kentucky  Regiment  and  Sherman's  Battery  ;  E,  Second  Illinois  Regi 
ment  and  first  section  of  Bragg's  Battery ;  F,  Second  Indiana  Regiment  and  three 
pieces  of  Washington's  Battery  ;  G,  Kentucky  Horse  Regiment  and  one  squadron 
of  the  Second  Dragoons  ;  H,  Arkansas  Horse  Regiment  and  one  squadron  of  the 
First  Dragoons ;  K,  Rifle  companies  of  Arkansas  and  Kentucky  Cavalry  dis 
mounted,  Battalion  Rifles  Indiana  Brigade,  and  detachment  from  Second  Regi 
ment  Illinois  Volunteers  ;  I,  Position  of  Second  Kentucky  Regiment,  Bragg's  Ar 
tillery,  and  detachment  of  horse,  on  evening  of  the  22d  and  morning  of  the  23d  ; 
M,  Mississippi  Regiment ;  O,  column  of  attack,  infantry  and  cavalry  against  A  ; 
P,  strong  column  concentrated  to  force  the  American  left ;  Q,  battery  of  eight 
pieces ;  R,  light  troops  engaged  in  the  mountains ;  S,  reserve ;  T,  Mexican  col 
umns  turning  the  American  left ;  V,  Position  of  Mexican  Battery  after  gaining 
the  left  of  the  American  line  ;  X,  Cavalry  from  head  of  column  T  attacking  Buena 
Vista ;  Y,  springs. 


CAMPAIGN   AND    BATTLE   OF    BUENA  VISTA. 


24I 


From  Saltillo  to  Buena  Vista,  following  the  road 
southward  after  you  ascend  to  the  table-land,  you 
span  a  distance  of  six  miles  of  comparatively  level 
country.  Then  the  appearance  is  of  a  cut  or  break 
across  spurs,  which  branch  out  nearly  perpendicular 
to  the  general  trend  of  the  Madre  Mountains  in 
that  neighborhood;  but  really,  if  you  pursue  the  cut, 
there  is  a  narrow  valley  which  finally  leads  through 
the  great  mountain  range. 

Though  the  bottom  of  the  valley  is  apparently 
perfectly  smooth,  with  a  moderate  fall  throughout 
its  length,  there  meanders  a  dry  arroyo  or  deep  gully 
with  precipitous  banks  twenty  feet  high.  Winter 
floods  have  so  broken  through  the  necks  of  some  of 
the  peninsulas  made  by  the  arroyos  that  in  places  the 
ravines  form  a  net-work  of  these  gullies  impractica 
ble  for  any  troops,  for  the  reason  that  the  troops, 
who  may  have  with  labor  crossed  one,  find  another 
hidden  pitfall  after  a  few  more  yards  of  flat  plain. 
The  only  road  from  the  south  comes  down  this  val 
ley  near  the  eastern  bank  of  the  arroyo,  and  between 
it  and  the  next  rise  a  series  of  bluffs  cut  by  deep 
ravines  with  somewhat  less  precipitous  sides  than 
the  gully,  but  nearly  as  difficult  by  reason  of  their 
greater  elevation.  These  ravines  in  their  gen 
eral  course  make  an  angle  a  little  less  than  a  right 
angle  with  the  road  or  the  axis  of  the  valley — that 
is,  they  trend  off  to  the  southeast.  The  plateau 
which  ends  on  the  promontories  overlooking  the  flat 
was  made  by  some  prehistoric  flow  of  lava  and  scoriae 
from  the  volcanic  mountains,  and  next  by  the  storms 
of  ages  has  been  gullied  deeply  near  its  lower  end. 
Some  of  the  ravines  reach  all  the  way  back  to  the 
steep  mountains  to  which  the  plateau  gradually  rises. 


242  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Upon  three  of  the  ridges  made  by  the  ravines,  per 
haps  six  hundred  yards  across  their  tops  and  twelve 
hundred  yards  long,  and  at  the  head  of  the  ravines 
separating  the  ridges,  the  main  battle  scenes  were 
enacted.  Here  one  of  these  ridges,  very  steep  and 
in  a  rounded  terminus,  came  nearer  the  stream-bed 
than  any  other — so  near  that  there  was  at  that  time 
just  room  for  the  wagon  roadway.  It  served  as  a 
cover  to  the  high  plateau  and  cross-ravines  behind 
it.  The  artillery  position  under  its  protection  swept 
the  road  far  southward. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  western  spread  of  the  val 
ley,  flat  beyond  the  stream-bed,  was  really  impracti 
cable  except  by  a  complete  transfer  of  the  Mexican 
army  off  all  roads.  This  was  on  account  of  the  net 
work  of  gullies  and  cross  gullies  where  the  feeding 
ravines  had  been  for  ages  cutting  deeper  into  the  soil 
and  into  the  sides  of  the  irregular  foothills  and 
mountain-spurs,  which  to  the  eyes  of  the  soldiers 
projected  back  into  the  huge  mountains  that  formed 
the  western  boundaries  of  the  valley.  It  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that  fifty  or  more  American  officers,  as 
they  passed  up  the  valley  and  came  toward  these 
singular  landmarks — these  natural  fortification-lines 
that  make  the  defile  or  pass  of  Angostura — remarked 
to  one  another,  "  What  a  strong  place  for  defense  !  " 

From  Saltillo,  by  the  way  of  Buena  Vista  and 
Angostura,  to  Agua  Nueva  is  eighteen  miles;  En- 
carnacion,  the  farthest  point  reached  by  Taylor's 
cavalry  in  reconnoitring,  is  thirty  miles  more ;  and 
from  the  hacienda  of  Buena  Vista  to  Angostura  and 
the  plateau  of  the  main  battle  the  distance  is  about 
one  mile.  Having  thus  with  considerable  detail  lo 
cated  and  described  the  ground  and  vicinity  of  the 


CAMPAIGN    AND    BATTLE    OF    BUENA   VISTA. 


243 


conflict,  we  are  prepared  to  post  General  Taylor's 
little  army,  which  we  have  seen,  according  to  a  pre 
concerted  plan,  so  suddenly  fall  back  before  the 
coming  hosts  of  Mexicans  in  battle  array. 

Arriving  at  Angostura  on  the  evening  of  Feb 
ruary  2ist,  General  Taylor  directed  General  Wool  to 
encamp  the  command  there,  as  he  afterward  writes, 
"  at  the  new  position,  a  little  in  front  of  the  hacienda 
of  Buena  Vista."  He  himself,  with  a  small  escort, 
passed  on  rapidly  to  Saltillo  with  the  object  of  put 
ting  that  town  in  a  state  of  defense  against  any 
possible  turning  movement  of  his  shrewd  adversary. 
Before  his  return,  on  the  morning  of  February  22d, 
the  field  had  been  carefully  studied  by  General  Wool 
and  other  officers  present,  and  the  line  selected  for 
a  defensive  battle.  Naturally  General  Wool  first 
protected  the  roadway.  In  it  and  to  the  right  of  it 
were  placed  ready  for  action  five  field  guns  of  the 
battery  of  eight,  under  Captain  J.  M.  Washington,  of 
the  Fourth  Regular  Artillery.  A  parapet  had  been 
prepared  running  from  the  base  of  this  hill  at  Angos 
tura  to  the  gully,  with  a  narrow  passage  next  to  the 
hill,  which  was  to  be  filled,  in  case  of  attack,  by  two 
wagons  loaded  with  stone.  Six  companies  of  the 
First  Illinois — Colonel  John  J.  Hardin — occupied  a 
position  along  the  top  of  the  height  to  the  left  of  the 
battery  and  dominating  it.  They  had  been  ordered 
to  construct  a  parapet  along  their  entire  front.  Two 
companies  of  the  same  regiment,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  William  Weatherford,  occupied  the  parapet 
leading  to  the  gully  to  the  right  of  the  battery. 
The  rest  of  the  army  bivouacked  in  the  rear  of  this 
position  the  night  of  the  2ist. 

The  difficulty  found  by  the  historian   in  locat- 


244  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

ing  General  Taylor's  positions  is  in  the  fact  that 
there  never  was  near  Buena  Vista  any  absolute  line 
of  battle,  and  because  he  and  his  officers  continued 
to  change  the  place  of  artillery,  cavalry,  and  infantry 
from  time  to  time  as  the  designs  of  Santa  Anna  were 
developed  and  became  apparent.  We  may  draw  a 
line  from  the  road  at  Angostura  straight  to  the  ex 
treme  left,  where  Colonels  Marshall  and  Yell  fought 
so  bravely  ;  that  straight  line  was  crossed  and  re- 
crossed  many  times  during  the  battle — troops  occu 
pied  it  supporting  batteries  or  separate  guns,  some 
en  echelon  and  some  thrown  forward  irregularly.  In 
fact,  General  Taylor  defended  a  position  too  large 
for  his  small  force,  and  rested  his  hope  for  victory 
more  upon  the  incessant  activity  of  his  cannon  and 
their  supports  than  upon  any  impregnable  battle 
line. 

Now,  turning  to  the  Mexican  side,  let  us  mark  a 
few  points  of  Santa  Anna's  approach.  He  had  come 
on  from  San  Luis  Potosi  in  division  blocks,  much 
like  McClellan  with  a  larger  army  in  later  years  on 
the  peninsula  of  Virginia.  General  Torrejon,  cav 
alry,  Third  Brigade,  eight  hundred  strong,  from  Po 
tosi  to  Bocao.  General  Juvera,  cavalry,  Second 
Brigade,  eleven  hundred  strong,  from  Potosi  to  Ver- 
rado.  General  Andrade,  cavalry,  Fourth  Brigade, 
four  hundred  strong,  from  Potosi  to  Cedral.  Gen 
eral  Mifion,  cavalry,  First  Brigade,  fourteen  hundred 
strong,  from  Potosi  to  Encarnacion. 

As  soon  as  the  cavalry  had  cleared  the  front,  on 
the  28th  and  2Qth  of  January,  1847,  General  Pacheco 
started  his  division  (the  first),  about  4,850  in  aggre 
gate,  Santa  Anna  having  put  in  the  advance  of  it 
some  600  artillerymen,  besides  trains  of  supplies,  his 


CAMPAIGN   AND   BATTLE   OF   BUENA  VISTA.  245 

sapper  and  miner  corps,  and  that  famous  conglomera 
tion  of  worthies,  United  States  deserters,  named  the 
"St.  Patrick's  Company." 

On  the  3oth,  General  Lombardini  led  out  the 
Second  division,  4,300  in  number;  and  on  the  3ist 
General  Ortega  brought  on  the  rear  division,  the 
Third,  having  about  3,200  men.  Allowing  1,200  men 
detailed  to  the  supply  department,  100  for  sappers 
and  miners,  and  100  for  "  St.  Patrick's  Company," 
and  1,000  each  for  the  brigades  of  General  Ampudia 
and  General  Parrodi,  which  joined  from  garrisons 
picked  up  en  route,  we  have  an  entire  Mexican  force 
of  20,050  souls. 

Before  February  2ist  Santa  Anna  had  concen 
trated  his  main  body  at  Encarnacion,  with  his  ad 
vance  as  far  forward  as  the  pass  of  Carnero. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  February, 
when  we  may  be  sure  the  unyielding  courage  and 
devotion  of  Washington,  whose  birthday  it  was, 
were  not  for  one  moment  forgotten  by  the  sturdy 
army  of  Americans,  the  brilliant  Mexican  cavalry,  and 
somewhat  later  in  the  day  the  no  less  showy  infan 
try  with  their  more  clumsy  artillery,  came  into  plain 
view  before  the  higher  crests  which  General  Wool  was 
occupying. 

General  Taylor,  early  apprised  of  the  near  ap 
proach  of  the  Mexican  army,  and  already  having  a 
small  detachment  of  howitzers  and  troops,  put  his 
depot  at  Saltillo  in  a  condition  of  defense,  and  hast 
ened  back  to  Angostura.  Reaching  the  battle  plateau, 
behold  him  as  he  halted,  still  sitting  on  his  stately 
horse  !  His  presence,  with  his  firm,  confident  look, 
and  his  reassuring  words  and  voice,  more  than  dou 
bled  the  reserves  of  his  army. 
17 


246  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

It  was  a  glorious  morning.  The  sun  had  risen 
that  winter  day  with  unwonted  clearness.  The  hills 
and  mountains,  changing  their  hues  from  moment  to 
moment  as  the  sun  climbed  above  them  and  shed  its 
illuminating  rays  more  and  more  into  the  darker 
nooks,  touching  peak  after  peak  with  golden  light, 
seemed  like  gigantic  living  forms,  veritable  Godlike 
supporters  to  the  little  army  which  had  confided 
itself  to  their  embrace.  As  the  breezes  played  with 
their  beautiful  national  flag,  they  seemed  to  the  hearts 
of  Taylor's  men  as  did  the  breathings  from  the  ever 
lasting  hills  to  the  great  king  of  Israel,  and  carried 
everywhere  a  remarkable  inspiration  and  enthusiasm. 
Doubtless  many  souls  looked  higher  than  the  mount 
ains  for  help.  General  Taylor  himself  certainly  did, 
and  found  it. 

About  eleven  o'clock,  as  the  general  sat  there  in 
the  morning  glow,  and  with  his  accustomed  eye  was 
running  over  and  over  the  military  positions  dotting 
the  rough  ground  from  the  little  San  Juan  beside  the 
road,  across  the  plateau,  and  up  to  the  mountains,  a 
message,  which  had  come  to  his  outer  picket  under 
cover  of  a  white  flag,  was  brought  to  him.  He 
opened  and  read  it.  It  was  from  Santa  Anna  him 
self,  confidently  calling  him  to  an  absolute  surrender 
at  the  expiration  of  one  hour. 

"  CAMP  AT  ENCANTADA,  February  22,  1847. 
"You  are  surrounded  by  twenty  thousand  men, 
and  can  not  in  any  human  probability  avoid  suffer 
ing  a  rout,  and  being  cut  to  pieces  with  your  troops; 
but  as  you  deserve  consideration  and  particular 
esteem,  I  wish  to  save  you  from  a  catastrophe,  and 
for  that  purpose  give  you  this  notice,  in  order  that 


CAMPAIGN    AND    BATTLE    OF    BUENA  VISTA.  247 

you  may  surrender  at  discretion,  under  the  assurance 
that  you  will  be  treated  with  the  consideration  be 
longing  to  the  Mexican  character ;  to  which  end  you 
will  be  granted  an  hour's  tyne  to  make  up  your 
mind,  to  commence  from  the  moment  when  my  flag 
of  truce  arrives  in  your  camp. 

"  With  this  view  I  assure  you  of  my  particular 
consideration.  God  and  liberty  ! 

"ANTONIO  LOPEZ  DE  SANTA  ANNA. 
"  To  General  Z.  TAYLOR, 

"  Commanding  the  forces  of  the  United  States" 

Such  was  the  message.  General  Taylor's  reply, 
so  expressive  of  his  character,  dictated  from  horse 
back  on  the  spot,  was  briefer,  but  sufficiently  explicit. 
It  was  as  follows : 

"  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  OCCUPATION, 

"  NEAR  BUENA  VISTA,  February  22,  1847. 
"SiR:  In  reply  to  your  note  of  this  date  sum 
moning  me  to  surrender  my  forces  at  discretion,  I 
beg  leave  to   say  that   I  decline  acceding  to  your 
request. 

"  With  high  respect,  I  am,  sir, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"Z.  TAYLOR, 

"Major-General  U.  S.  Army,  Commanding. 
"  Senor  Gen.  D.  ANTONIO  LOPEZ  DE  SANTA  ANNA, 
"  Commander-in-Chief,  La  Encantada" 

It  took  some  time  for  the  escorted  messenger  of 
Santa  Anna  to  come  from  the  plain  of  Encantada  to 
General  Wool's  outer  pickets,  and  then  some  time 
more  for  the  picket  officer  to  ride  to  General  Tay 
lor's  place  of  observation,  obtain  his  reply,  and  re- 


248  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

turn  with  it  to  the  waiting  Mexican  bearer  of  dis 
patches,  and  probably  a  half  hour  longer  for  the 
latter  to  rejoin  his  proud  general  at  the  Mexican 
headquarters.  Meanwhile  Santa  Anna  had  not  been 
idle. 

Many  a  volunteer  sentinel  from  the  north  had 
been  all  the  morning  watching  the  volumes  of  dust, 
like  white  clouds  great  and  small,  which  indicated 
the  successive  approach  of  brigades,  regiments,  and 
batteries.  Here  and  there  were  observed  flags  and 
gleaming  armor,  till  the  whole  irregular  front  ap 
peared  covered  with  lines  and  compact  bodies  of 
armed  men,  well  established  cannon  and  brilliant 
troops  of  cavalry. 

General  Santa  Anna's  dispositions,  as  gathered 
from  Mexican  accounts,  were  these  :  Two  divisions  of 
infantry  under  Lombardini  and  Pacheco — probably 
side  by  side — with  the  (Mexican)  left  resting  against 
the  deep,  dry  river-bed.  This  left  was  strengthened 
by  Colonel  Blanco's  engineer  regiment,  placed  in 
direct  support  of  three  batteries.  These,  well 
manned,  could  not  only  sweep  the  roadway,  but 
reach  a  part  of  Taylor's  front  line.  This  arrange 
ment  made  a  strong  flank  for  attack  or  defense. 

The  other  infantry  division  (Ortega's)  was  sub 
stantially  in  reserve.  The  Mexicans  had  an  abun 
dance  of  cavalry,  so  that  while  General  Minon  was 
working  his  way  by  a  wide  circuit  through  the  mount 
ains  around  to  the  east  of  Saltillo,  Juvera's  combined 
brigades  were  kept  behind  two  batteries  located 
pretty  well  to  the  (Mexican)  right,  having  the  famous 
regiment  of  hussars,  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Col 
onel  D.  Miguel  Andrade,  to  the  right  front.  Those 
batteries — five  eight-pounder  guns  and  five  twelve- 


CAMPAIGN   AND    BATTLE    OF    BUENA  VISTA.  249 

pounders — were  well  placed  on  high  ridges,  so  as  to 
enfilade  considerable  portions  of  General  Taylor's 
lines. 

Santa  Anna  not  only  moved  into  battle  lines  in  a 
general  way,  but,  as  if  preparing  for  an  attack,  de 
tached  General  Ampudia,  now  in  command  of  a 
brigade  of  light  batteries  with  supports,  and  directed 
him  to  drive  back  Taylor's  skirmishers  and  seize 
without  delay  that  "  other  high  knoll  "  held  by  Tay 
lor's  pickets — that  one  well  to  his  own  right and  to 

hold  that  ground  at  all  hazards.  And  this  was  done, 
resulting  in  considerable  firing  of  all  arms  by  those 
who  were  near  enough  to  participate  in  the  combat. 
So,  at  dark  Santa  Anna,  though  losing  some  officers 
and  men,  scored  his  first  success  and  gained  a  van 
tage  ground  for  the  morrow.  General  Taylor,  in 
this  preliminary  contest  for  position,  had  a  few 
wounded  but  none  killed.  But,  to  make  the  narra 
tive  a  little  fuller,  the  reader  is  invited  to  return  to 
the  standpoint  of  General  Taylor  when  he  received 
the  message  of  Santa  Anna  and  replied  to  it. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Battle  of  Buena  Vista — The  22d  of  February — First  day's  tmeute 
— Second  day's  engagement — Return  to  Saltillo — The  rest  at 
night — The  first  combat  in  the  morning — The  Mexican  order 
and  advance — General  Wool's  efforts — His  left  driven  back — 
General  Taylor's  timely  arrival — The  fearful  struggle  for  the 
plateau — The  batteries  ;  how  handled — Lieutenant  Kings- 
bury's  story  of  the  Mississippians  and  their  coadjutors — The 
victory. 

SANTA  ANNA'S  words  were  bold,  and  only  a  single 
hour  given  to  General  Taylor  to  give  his  decision ; 
therefore,  as  soon  as  the  tenor  of  the  general's  brief 
reply  became  circulated  among  the  officers  and  men 
along  the  lines,  there  was  an  eager  and  universal 
expectancy  of  battle.  All  eyes  and  ears  were  strained 
to  catch  every  varying  sight  or  sound.  But  weary 
hours  passed  by,  with  little  to  vary  the  monotony. 
There  were  here  and  there  noticeable  some  unim 
portant  changes  of  position  made  by  the  Mexicans, 
and  an  occasional  volunteer  shout  on  Taylor's  side, 
till  at  last,  perhaps  two  hours  before  sunset,  a  single 
Mexican  shell  came  hissing  through  the  air,  struck 
near  the  lines  upon  the  plateau,  and  exploded.  This 
odd  commencement  of  the  action  was  followed  by 
several  discharges  from  Mexican  howitzers,  which 
caused  no  loss. 

Though  Generals  Taylor  and  Wool  found  them 
selves  somewhat  hampered  by  Ampudia's  position 


CAMPAIGN  AND  BATTLE   OF   BUENA  VISTA.    251 

threatening  their  left,  it  was  too  late,  after  his  seiz 
ure  of  the  mountain-spur,  to  remedy  it.  They  said 
to  themselves,  doubtless,  "  We  must  not  try  with  this 
little  army  to  stretch  over  too  much  space/' 

About  noon  on  the  226.  there  was  a  movement  of 
Mejia's  brigade  of  the  Mexican  army  opposite  the 
American  right  flank.  The  Second  Kentucky  In 
fantry,  Colonel  McKee,  had  been  posted  as  part  of 
the  reserve.  General  Taylor  sent  it  and  Bragg's 
battery,  with  a  detachment  of  mounted  men,  to  take 
post  on  the  first  foot-hill  to  the  right  of  the  dry 
arroyo  in  the  plain,  and  somewhat  in  advance  of 
Washington's  battery.  The  enemy's  movement  in 
dicated  a  possible  attempt  to  pass  General  Taylor's 
right.  This  detachment  had  hardly  gone,  however, 
when  the  enemy's  true  intention  of  turning  General 
Taylor's  left,  and  not  his  right,  was  suggested  by 
light  troops  moving  toward  the  mountains  on  the 
left. 

The  Kentucky  cavalry  regiment,  Colonel  Hum 
phrey  Marshall,  the  Arkansas  mounted  regiment, 
Colonel  Archibald  Yell,  with  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Roane  in  command  of  the  rifle  companies,  dis 
mounted,  and  the  four  Indiana  rifle  companies, 
Major  W,.  A.  Gorman  commanding,  had  been  sent  to 
stop  such  a  movement.  Brigadier-General  Joseph 
Lane,  with  the  Second  Indiana  Regiment,  and  a  sec 
tion  of  Washington's  battery  under  Brevet  Captain 
J.  P.  J.  O'Brien,  was  ordered  to  the  left  of  the  posi 
tion  proper  on  the  high  plateau,  with  orders  to  pre 
vent  the  enemy  from  passing  between  the  center  and 
the  base  of  the  mountain. 

Having  left  his  horses  with  the  cavalry  which 
remained  mounted,  under  Colonel  Yell,  at  the  base  of 


252  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

the  mountain,  Colonel  Marshall  formed  a  skirmish 
line  of  riflemen  of  his  own  and  Colonel  Yell's  rifle 
companies  and  those  of  the  Indiana  brigade,  under 
Major  Gorman,  to  hold  a  mountain-spur  and  knoll 
on  the  flank  of  Taylor's  army,  facing  another  knoll 
in  advance  of  Santa  Anna's  right.  He  had  origi 
nally  sent  a  battalion  of  dismounted  riflemen  to  the 
southernmost  spur,  but  upon  receiving  word  from 
General  Wool  that  this  force  might  be  cut  off  by  the 
enemy  who  was  marching  up  the  ravine  beyond, 
thinking  it  to  be  his  general's  wish,  Marshall  with 
drew  it.  General  Wool  now  reached  him,  and  ex 
plained  that  his  message  was  cautionary  only,  put 
him  in  entire  charge  of  the  left,  and  returned  to  the 
plain.  Gorman  was  sent  to  re-occupy  the  advanced 
knoll  across  the  ravine,  but  the  enemy  had  fore 
stalled  him  and  he  came  back. 

At  3.30  p.  M.  Colonel  Marshall  began  skirmishing 
with  the  enemy's  infantry  on  the  side  of  the  mount 
ain,  and  firing  continued  throughout  the  rest  of  the 
afternoon. 

General  Taylor,  believing  that  the  time  for  a 
formal  attack  that  day  had  passed,  rode  with  his 
staff  to  a  high  point  of  the  plateau,  and  was  sur 
veying  with  his  field -glass  the  whole  stretch  of 
ground  then  held  by  his  enemy.  The  sun  was  just 
disappearing  in  the  west.  Its  parting  rays  lighted 
up  with  unusual  brilliancy  the  bright  sabers,  the 
gleaming  bayonets,  the  moving  and  stationary  uni 
forms,  and  the  waving  standards,  with  varying 
effects.  The  shadows  lengthened  and  deepened, 
and  the  mountains,  hills,  and  spurs,  now  irregularly 
brightened  with  silvery  hues  near  their  summits, 
shot  up  from  the  more  darkly  painted  valleys,  and 


CAMPAIGN  AND   BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA.   253 

gave  a  scene  of  exceeding  beauty  and  glory,  a  spec 
tacle  that  could  hardly  be  reproduced.  At  this  hour 
there  were  everywhere  distant  music  of  bands,  drum- 
beatings,  bugle-notes,  and  occasional  skirmish-shots 
to  break  the  stillness,  and  a  hum  that  busy  men  and 
waiting  animals  always  make. 

General  Taylor,  satisfied  with  observing,  was 
about  to  turn  away  and  ride  back  to  General  Wool 
near  the  center  of  his  line,  when,  of  a  sudden,  the  com 
parative  quiet  was  broken.  There  was  a  burst  of 
cannon  and  musketry  resounding  and  re-resounding 
among  the  hills,  and  clouds  of  smoke  suddenly  aris 
ing  off  there  to  his  left.  "  A  fierce  attack  is  coming, 
after  all,"  he  thought.  The  Mexicans  under  Am- 
pudia,  from  their  own  dominating  spur,  had  opened 
a  rapid,  raking  fire,  but  happily  ineffective  by  reason 
of  firing  too  high  upon  the  dismounted  Kentucky 
and  Arkansas  cavalry.  The  Mexicans  then  began 
ascending  the  ridge  which  connected  their  knoll  with 
the  mountain  chain,  evidently  to  get  above  ra 
vines  and  to  work  around  the  left  flank  of  Colonel 
Marshall.  He  kept  his  men  well  in  hand,  gave  back 
volley  for  volley,  and  his  soldiers  clambered  up  a 
parallel  ridge  as  fast  as  the  Mexicans,  and  fired  at 
them  their  effective  rifle-shots.  The  firing,  which 
caused  the  loss  of  a  few  men  on  both  sides,  finally, 
after  producing  the  impression  upon  the  sky  of 
flashing  fire-works,  slowly  died  away.  Each  com 
mander  (Marshall  and  Ampudia)  waited  in  place, 
holding  to  his  own  recently  attained  elevated  ground. 
So  ended  this  natal  day,  the  glorious  22d  of  Febru 
ary,  1847,  on  the  rough,  strange  field  of  Buena  Vista. 

Now,  feeling  sure  that  there  would  be  no  further 
action  till  the  morrow,  General  Taylor,  recalling  the 


254 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


presence  of  a  large  cavalry  force  reported  to  be  in 
his  rear,  took  with  him  a  fair  escort,  consisting  of 
Colonel  Davis's  Mississippi  regiment  of  infantry  and 
May's  squadron  of  dragoons,  and  went  back  to 
Saltillo.  He  very  properly  had  a  feeling  that  his 
battle-ground  was  not  confined  to  Angostura.  That 
was  surely  his  front  position.  His  entire  field  in 
cluded  Saltillo,  the  intervening  plateaus,  and  spurs  of 
the  mountains.  Hence  his  evident  anxiety  about  the 
hacienda  of  Buena  Vista,  the  rough  road  to  Saltillo, 
and  the  depot  there.  This  anxiety  caused  his  sec 
ond  visit.  And  did  he  not  leave  that  able  veteran, 
Wool,  to  execute  his  orders  till  his  return  ?  The 
two  armies  lay  down  to  rest  upon  the  plateaus  and 
slopes  where  they  had  been  put  in  position.  No  fire 
that  night  was  built  for  a  target  to  tempt  some  eager 
battery-officer  to  try  his  guns ;  and  so,  except  for  the 
watchful  guards  and  keen-sighted  pickets,  there  was 
for  the  most  of  the  weary  men  on  both  sides  an  un 
interrupted  sleep  till  the  morning's  dawn.  Santa  Anna 
had  caused  one  exception  to  this  rule.  His  chief  of 
staff,  Miguel  Torena,  under  cover  of  the  night,  had 
caused  Captain  Ballarta's  five  gun  batteries  of  eight- 
pounders  to  be  dragged  up  to  a  spot  sufficiently  high 
toward  the  mountain  to  enable  him  more  easily  to 
throw  his  shot  upon  Taylor's  choice  plateau.  This 
was  a  shrewd  preparation  for  an  attempt  to  be  made 
at  daylight  to  push  across  the  natural  barriers  and 
break  up  his  enemy's  whole  front. 

After  a  few  hours'  indispensable  repose  at  the 
city  of  Saltillo,  we  find  our  American  general  on  the 
road  at  an  early  hour.  He  uses  in  his  report  a  few 
pregnant  words  concerning  this  visit:  "The  city" 
(Saltillo)  "  was  occupied  by  four  excellent  companies 


CAMPAIGN  AND   BATTLE  OF   BUENA  VISTA. 


255 


of  Illinois  volunteers,  under  Major  Warren  of  the 
First  Regiment.  A  field-work  which  commanded 
most  of  the  approaches  was  garrisoned  by  Captain 
Webster's  company  of  the  First  Artillery,  and  armed 
with  two  24-pounder  howitzers,  while  the  train  and 
headquarter  camp  was  guarded  by  two  companies  of 
Mississippi  riflemen,  under  Captain  Rogers,  and  a 
field-piece  [from  Bragg's  battery]  commanded  by 
Captain  Shover,  Third  Artillery. 

"  Having  made  these  dispositions  for  the  protec 
tion  of  the  rear,  I  proceeded,  on  the  morning  of  the 
23d,  to  Buena  Vista,  ordering  forward  all  the  other 
available  troops." 

While  General  Taylor,  hearing  the  sounds  of 
cannon  in  the  distance,  is  pushing  on  as  fast  as  he 
can  toward  the  field,  we  will  attempt  briefly  to  re 
cord  what  had  already  taken  place  at  Angostura.  At 
2  A.  M.  on  the  23d  the  Mexicans  began  their  move 
ments,  and  at  dawn  firing  began  on  the  mountain. 
The  American  position  was  then  occupied  as  fol 
lows  :  The  First  Illinois,  and  five  guns  of  Washing 
ton's  battery,  as  described,  in  the  center,  near  the 
road.  Major  Mansfield  had  been  sent  to  take  the 
Second  Kentucky  and  Bragg's  battery,  if  prudent, 
from  the  right  to  the  left.  On  the  left,  in  echelon  to 
the  front  of  the  First  Illinois's  position  and  nearly  a 
mile  from  it,  the  interval  protected  by  three  ravines 
with  heads  near  together,  down  which  one  could  look 
from  the  right  of  this  regiment,  was  the  Second  Illi 
nois,  Colonel  W.  H.  Bissell,  facing  south,  and  watch 
ing  for  the  enemy's  infantry  to  come  up  out  of  a  still 
longer  ravine  than  those  on  its  right.  Captain 
Enoch  Steen's  squadron  of  the  First  Dragoons  stood 
behind,  and  secured  the  interval  between  the  Illinois 


256  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

regiments.  This  hostile  ravine  extended  all  the  way 
to  the  mountains.  On  the  left  of  the  Second 
Illinois,  a  little  in  advance,  and  facing  more  to 
the  southwest,  stood  the  Second  Indiana,  under 
Colonel  Bowles,  and  three  pieces  (one  i2-pounder, 
one  6-pounder,  and  one  4-pounder  Mexican  gun) 
of  Washington's  battery,  under  Brevet-Captain 
O'Brien.  Then  came  an  interval,  in  rear  of  which 
stood  a  part  of  the  Kentucky  horse ;  and  still 
further  to  the  rear,  back  of  a  ravine  which  reached 
the  valley  in  the  American  rear,  the  Arkansas  horse. 
Beyond  the  interval,  leftward,  up  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  were  the  rifle  companies  of  the  Kentucky 
and  Arkansas  cavalry  and  the  battalion  of  riflemen 
from  the  Indiana  Brigade.  Three  companies  under 
Major  Trail,  two  of  the  Second  Regiment  of  the  Illi 
nois  Volunteers  and  Captain  Conner's  company  of 
Texans,  soon  re-enforced  them.  In  reserve  in  rear  of 
the  Angostura  was  the  Third  Indiana  Regiment. 
Sherman's  battery  so  soon  came  into  position  with 
the  Second  Illinois  (Bissell's)  Regiment  on  this  morn 
ing  of  the  23d  that  it  was  but  a  short  time  a  re 
serve.  About  eight  o'clock  the  Second  Kentucky 
Infantry  arrived  from  across  the  valley,  and  was  put 
at  the  head  of  the  ravines  in  the  interval  that  still 
remained  between  the  First  and  Second  Illinois  Regi 
ments.  Bragg's  battery,  which  had  been  brought 
in  by  Mansfield  from  the  extreme  right  at  daylight, 
went  toward  Saltillo  on  account  of  a  large  dust  ris 
ing  in  that  direction,  which  might  have  been  caused 
by  Minon ;  but  when  it  proved  to  be  from  General 
Taylor  and  re-enforcements,  the  battery  found  a 
place  near  Captain  Steen's  squadron  of  the  First 
Dragoons. 


CAMPAIGN  AND    BATTLE   OF  BUENA  VISTA. 


257 


Stimulated  by  an  animated  address  of  Santa 
Anna — a  speech  full  of  denouncements  of  the 
wickedness  of  his  foes,  and  fraught  with  most  patri 
otic  fervor — the  Mexicans,  though  much  worn  by 
their  long  marches,  and  poorly  supplied,  nevertheless 
sprang  forward  with  a  reasonable  enthusiasm  to 
begin  the  projected  attacks.  General  Ampudia,  as 
soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to  see,  with  his  own 
brigade  re-enforced  strongly  from  the  center  and  the 
8-pounders  before  mentioned,  opened  the  noisy 
assault.  Marshall  with  his  demi-brigade  was  in 
waiting.  Major  Trail,  as  we  saw,  with  the  three 
companies,  had  arrived  on  the  mountain-side  to  help 
him.  General  Taylor,  in  one  brief,  grim  sentence, 
describes  the  gallant  defense :  "  Our  riflemen  .  .  . 
maintained  their  ground  handsomely  against  a 
greatly  superior  force,  holding  themselves  under 
cover,  and  using  their  weapons  with  deadly  effect." 

This  Mexican  move  in  Santa  Anna's  plan  was  es 
sential  to  clear  the  way.  Again,  as  an  intended 
blind — a  sort  of  ruse  de  guerre — General  D.  Santiago 
Blanco,  using  his  three  batteries  and  his  fine  regi 
ment  of  engineers,  from  his  place  on  and  near  the 
road  and  stream-bed  moved  rapidly  forward.  He 
was  sustained  by  enough  other  troops  to  make  a  solid- 
looking  column.  Blanco  had  hardly  opened  fire, 
when  Captain  Washington  replied  with  that  quick 
ness  and  accuracy  which  distinguished  the  Northern 
artillery  during  that  war.  With  scarcely  any  casual 
ties  on  his  side,  he  soon  broke  and  put  to  flight  the 
hostile  column.  These  Mexicans,  in  their  confusion, 
ran  in  all  directions  seeking  shelter  against  his  death- 
dealing  missiles. 

Now  for  a  main  assault.      Behold   Ampudia  still 


258  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

hammering  away  on  the  mountain !  It  is  eight 
o'clock.  At  this  instant,  nearer  the  middle  of  the 
American  line,  Generals  Lombardini  and  Pacheco, 
side  by  side,  bring  up  a  strong  column  of  7,000. 
Ortega  is  still  kept  in  reserve  back  of  the  interval 
between  Ampudia  and  Pacheco.  General  Juvera, 
with  2,000  cavalry,  stands  ready  to  follow  up  any  ad 
vantage  they  may  gain.  Full  of  confidence,  Santa 
Anna  remains,  with  his  colors  flying,  on  an  eminence 
in  the  rear,  watching  the  advance,  not  for  one  mo 
ment  relaxing  the  belief  expressed  in  the  last  words 
of  his  address — "  their  utter  extermination,  without 
pity  or  quarter." 

General  Wool  was  just  then  at  his  own  right  bat 
tery,  whither  Washington's  rapid  discharges  had 
drawn  him.  He  was  undoubtedly  in  some  trepida 
tion,  owing  to  the  extent  of  the  ground  to  hold  and 
the  fewness  of  his  troops.  How  quickly  at  the  sig 
nal  that  attack  began  !  Cannon  and  musketry  on 
mountain-side  from  the  south ;  then  prompt  re 
sponses  of  carbine  and  musket  from  the  north.  A 
steady  advance  of  the  Mexican  center  columns  of 
attack  straight  toward  O'Brien's  little  battery,  lately 
run  out  there  in  front.  Now  observe.  Cannon-shots 
from  Ballarta's  guns  were  plowing  a  swath  for  the 
Mexicans  through  the  Northern  volunteer  infantry, 
and  their  canister  taking  effect  on  the  left  of 
O'Brien.  On  the  Mexicans  come,  firing  as  they  ad 
vance.  The  roaring  and  the  rattle  were  soon  con 
tinuous,  and  the  great  battle  was  joined  from  mount 
ain-side  to  sloping  plateau,  from  the  plateau  to  the 
uneven  roadway  and  the  impassable  river-bed. 

There  was  soon  developed  a  weak  point — that 
which  O'Brien  with  his  three  field-guns  was  defend- 


CAMPAIGN   AND   BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA.    259 

ing,  the  left  of  General  Wool's  line;  for  Colonel 
Marshall,  with  his  command  skirmishing  on  the 
mountain-side,  was  virtually  detached.  The  divisions 
of  Lombardini  and  Pacheco,  in  some  confusion,  it  is 
true,  but  in  overwhelming  numbers,  were  pushing 
nearer.  Those  behind  kept  up  the  impulse  when  the 
front  men  fell  or  stopped  to  fire ;  nearer  and  nearer 
they  came  to  O'Brien.  The  official  report  says  of 
this  melee :  "  The  Second  Indiana  and  Second  Illi 
nois  formed  this  part  of  our  line,  the  former  sup 
porting  these  pieces  of  light  artillery,  Brigadier- 
General  Lane  being  in  the  immediate  command. 
In  order  to  bring  his  men  within  more  effective 
range,  General  Lane  ordered  the  artillery  forward, 
intending  to  follow  the  movement  with  the  Second 
Indiana.  The  artillery  advanced  within  musket- 
range  of  a  heavy  body  of  Mexican  infantry,  and  was 
served  against  it  with  great  effect,  but  without  being 
able  to  check  its  advance."  Here  took  place  the 
first  break.  At  first  firing  well,  the  Second  Indi 
ana — every  observer  hated  to  confess  it — did  not 
long  face  that  storm  and  advance  in  support  of 
O'Brien.  The  regiment  encountered  the  terrific  hail 
from  the  front,  also  the  plunging  fire  of  those  Mexi 
can  8-pounders  to  their  left,  and,  if  we  may  trust 
to  fault-finders  among  them,  they  received  confusing 
orders  from  their  own  colonel.  All  this  was  more 
than  the  regiment  could  bear,  and  it  went  to  pieces 
and  fled  from  the  field. 

Until  the  forward  movement,  which  was  probably 
not  a  wise  one  at  that  stage  of  the  battle,  all  Gen 
eral  Lane's  troops  had  been  kneeling  in  ranks  and 
pouring  in  their  discharges  against  the  on-coming, 
determined  Mexicans.  Now,  O'Brien,  with  his  artil- 


260  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

lery,  left  with  no  small  arms  near  at  hand  on  right 
or  left  to  help  him,  nevertheless  redoubled  his  vigor. 
All  the  men  and  all  the  horses  at  one  of  his  guns  were 
killed  or  disabled,  and  so  at  the  last  minute  he  lim 
bered  up  the  other  two  and  fled  before  the  storm,  but 
without  losing  either  order  or  control  of  his  remain 
ing  battery-men.  Here  the  Second  Illinois  Regiment, 
having  Mexicans  already  beyond  either  flank,  began 
to  retire  fighting,  till  everything  on  the  plateau  be 
fore  the  Lombardini  and  Pacheco  column  was  for 
a  while  swept  back.  Santa  Anna  was  delighted. 
Marshall's  force — that  is,  the  Arkansas  and  Kentucky 
cavalry — dismounted,  and  Major  Trail's  three  com 
panies  had  done  all  that  men  could  do.  They  had 
skirmished  from  knoll  to  knoll  against  Ampudia ; 
they  had  strained  their  lines  to  face  four  times  their 
numbers;  but  who  can  tell  their  feelings,  to  be  now 
absolutely  cut  off,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  turmoil, 
by  the  sudden  flight  of  the  Second  Indiana  men,  and 
the  swinging  back  of  all  others  toward  the  gorge- 
road,  leaving  them — Marshall's  little  forlorn  hope — 
completely  severed  from  the  main  body  ?  Ampudia 
unceasingly  pressed  them  in  front,  and  the  Mexican 
cavalry,  hugging  the  mountain,  tried  to  ride  them 
down.  So,  at  last,  Marshall,  uniting  with  Yell,  who 
was  soon  wounded,  mounting  as  many  men  as  he  had 
kept  with  him,  gave  back,  back,  back,  swinging  off 
toward  the  hacienda  of  Buena  Vista.  The  fugitives 
of  the  Second  Indiana  and  Marshall's  fragments  had 
preceded  them.  General  Wool  was  meanwhile  doing 
all  he  could  to  reorganize  his  lines — as  did  Wright  at 
Winchester  before  the  arrival  of  Sheridan,  as  did 
Wellington  before  Blucher  came  at  Waterloo;  but 
his  hope  was  growing  smaller,  when  General  Taylor 


CAMPAIGN   AND    BATTLE  OF   BUENA  VISTA.    26l 

arrived.  Taylor  brought  up  with  him  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  May's  dragoons.  A  little  farther  back  fol 
lowed  Colonel  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  fresh  regiment 
of  Mississippi  infantry. 

Behold  this  sturdy  old  soldier,  Zachary  Taylor, 
as  with  his  little  bevy  of  staff  officers  around  him  he 
rode  forward  and  ascended  to  the  plateau  and  halted  ! 
He  quickly  took  in  the  situation.  Now,  without 
hurry  or  confusion,  things  soon  took  better  shape. 
Look  for  a  moment  at  the  present  lines.  Washing 
ton,  with  five  guns,  had  stopped  all  direct  attack  in 
his  front,  and  now  had  received  back  O'Brien  and 
his  two  remaining  guns.  Of  his  infantry  supports, 
four  companies  of  the  First  Illinois  had  wheeled  so 
as  to  face  the  mountain,  and  had  moved  in  that 
direction  to  the  plateau.  Colonel  Bissell  had  retired 
his  regiment  (the  Second  Illinois)  from  its  first  posi 
tion,  and  faced  it,  with  the  First,  more  to  the  left,  in 
an  oblique  line,  supporting  Bragg's  and  Sherman's 
light  batteries.  The  Second  Kentucky  had  just  been 
hurrying  into  position  across  the  plateau  to  the 
of  the  Illinois  men,  so  that  we  now  have  a  new 
making  a  large  angle  with  the  old  one. 

Davis's  Mississippi  regiment  was  soon  halt 
down  there  nearer  the  Buena  Vista  hacienda,  then 
deploying  and  moving  toward  the  Mexican  columns 
which  had  passed  over  the  ground  where  had  stood 
the  Second  Indiana.  Colonel  May's  regulars  now, 
including  Steen's  squadron,  under  Lieutenant  Rucker, 
and  Captain  Pike's  Arkansas  squadron,  were  on  the 
plateau,  but  were  hastening  leftward  to  strengthen 
Colonel  Marshall's  retiring  command,  and  so  en 
deavor,  with  Colonel  Davis,  to  hold  the  ground  be 
tween  Buena  Vista  and  the  great  Angostura  plateau. 
18 


262  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

Major  Monroe,  that  indomitable,  self-reliant  actor, 
is  gathering  the  fragments  of  companies  that  had 
fled  from  the  battle  to  aid  him — if  such  men  will — at 
the  hacienda  and  the  trains.  Colonel  Bowles,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  brave  men  from  his  regiment,  joined  him 
self  with  them  to  the  Mississippians.  General  Wool, 
encouraged  by  the  arrival  of  his  chief,  and  hoping  to 
brace  up  his  shattered  left,  hurried  off  to  Davis.  As 
Taylor  arrived,  General  Wool  said  to  him,  "  We  are 
whipped!"  Taylor's  terse  rejoinder  bespeaks  the 
man:  "That  remains  for  me  to  determine." 

The  Third  Indiana,  under  Colonel  J.  H.  Lane, 
was  hastening,  accompanied  by  one  cannon  con 
ducted  by  Lieutenant  Kilburn,  to  re-enforce  Colonel 
Davis,  who  had  as  quickly  as  possible  formed  across 
a  bridge  leading  from  the  upper  part  of  the  plateau 
to  a  point  in  front  of  Buena  Vista.  The  enemy's 
troops  were  bearing  down  with  a  rapid  tread.  \Vith 
these  changes,  the  left  being  turned,  we  find  al 
together  a  new  line.  The  battle  to  some  men  would 
have  been  already  lost;  but  not  so  to  Taylor. 
True,  his  new  left,  as  now  posted,  was  over  a  mile 
away  at  Buena  Vista ;  his  center  was  held  only  in 
points,  and  his  men  there  were  few  ;  but  those  points 
were  on  parallel  ridges,  and  the  enemy  could  not, 
except  with  extreme  peril,  pass  down  the  ravines ; 
his  right  was  solid  enough  at  the  gorge,  but  in  a 
defeat  it  was  likely  to  be  cut  off  and  destroyed.  Yet 
there  stood  the  resolute,  fearless  man.  Every  soul 
that  was  not  a  coward,  beholding  him  there  with 
them,  caught  his  spirit  and  prepared  for  another 
strong  effort. 

Behold  the  Mexicans!  They  enveloped  every 
thing.  They  were  approaching  Buena  Vista ;  they 


CAMPAIGN   AND    BATTLE   OF   BUENA  VISTA.   263 

were  coming  down  upon  Davis  and  Colonel  Lane  ; 
even  their  infantry  rolled  along  the  mountain  face, 
over  the  plateau  and  the  foot-hills,  and  filled  the 
cross  ravines.  Taylor's  whole  new  front  was  covered 
and  masked  by  them  ;  and,  indeed,  but  for  the  fear- 
fulness  of  the  approach,  it  was  a  handsome,  brilliant, 
superb  array.  Now  the  battle  is  renewed  ;  the  cessa 
tion,  for  the  breathing-space  has  been  but  brief. 
Now  notice  Taylor's  artillery;  Sherman,  Bragg, 
Thomas,  Reynolds,  and  Kilburn,  and  their  rapid,  con 
tinuous,  accurate,  terrible  fire  ;  grape,  canister,  and 
shell,  and  here  and  there  a  solid  shot ;  they  hurl 
them  against  the  Mexican  masses;  then  the  infan 
try  are  arranged  in  the  places  most  exposed,  and 
wherever  muskets  can  reach  they  are  used  to 
their  fullest  extent.  The  concentrated  fire  of  Sher 
man's  and  Bragg's  batteries  at  last  broke  the 
Mexican  column,  which  had  been  toiling  along  the 
fearfully  rough,  stony  ground  by  the  foot-hill  of  the 
mountain,  and,  almost  sooner  than  it  takes  to  tell  it, 
the  Mexicans  in  rear  of  them  were  turning  back. 
Yes,  there  was  an  enormous  break  in  their  march 
ing  troops,  and,  strange  to  say,  the  plateau  was  once 
more  cleared  of  Mexicans,  with  at  least  a  fourth 
of  Santa  Anna's  force  hopelessly  cut  off — a  worse 
break  for  them  than  that  made  for  Wool  by  the  un 
fortunate  Second  Indiana  a  few  hours  before.  To 
accomplish  this,  Lieutenant  George  H.  Thomas  had 
been  left  with  one  gun  near  the  old  position,  and 
Sherman  and  Bragg  had  limbered  up  and  pushed  to 
ward  the  mountain,  the  Illinois  infantry  moving  in 
support. 

Meanwhile  Marshall  and  Yell   had   attacked    by 
carbine   fire   and  charged   against   the    head   of   the 


264  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Mexicans  who  were  pushing  them.  In  the  charge 
Yell  gave  his  life  ;  while  their  small  command  was 
borne  back,  friend  and  foe  mingled  in  a  cloud  of 
dust,  toward  the  hacienda.  The  regular  dragoons 
and  Reynolds's  section  of  artillery  arrived  to  succor 
them.  Davis  had  attacked  a  part  of  the  column 
which  had  turned  to  face  him.  The  Third  Indiana 
and  Kilburn  with  his  field-piece  were  coming  to  his 
aid.  After  the  break  had  been  effected,  Bragg, 
finding  himself  too  near  a  Mexican  battery  which 
had  come  into  action  upon  the  plateau,  took  advan 
tage  of  the  mobility  of  his  own,  and  moved  off,  re 
plenished  ammunition,  and  then  hurried  toward 
Buena  Vista,  where  the  noise  was  now  the  loudest; 
but  that  attack  over,  he  turned  to  his  right  and  fired 
upon  the  Mexicans  in  front  of  Davis.  In  fact,  this 
part  was  kept  so  busy  by  Colonel  Davis  with  his 
Mississippians  and  other  troops,  Colonel  May  with 
dragoons  and  artillery,  and  by  Major  Monroe  with 
his  improvised  defenders  of  the  train  and  town,  that 
they  did  not  at  first  notice  their  perilous  situation— 
not  until  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  get  back  any 
where  through  the  pass,  over  the  plateau,  or  by  way 
of  the  foot-hills.  Lieutenant  Kingsbury,  of  the  ord 
nance  corps,  a  staff-officer  of  General  Taylor,  and 
an  eye-witness  of  this  scene,  which  began  just  before 
aid  reached  the  brave  Mississippians,  writes  :  "  Colo 
nel  Davis  was  therefore  compelled  to  receive  the 
attack  with  a  single  regiment.  ...  It  was  com 
posed  of  the  men  of  Monterey,  and,  unawed  by 
the  overwhelming  mass  which  had  now  reached  a 
critical  proximity,  it  marched  unfalteringly  forward. 
When  within  good  range,  each  rifle  sent  ahead  its 
messenger  of  death  with  certain  execution.  The 


CAMPAIGN  AND   BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA.   265 

sight  of  broken  companies  and  disordered  squadrons 
which  followed  seemed  to  impart  new  zeal,  and,  re 
gardless  of  the  odds,  the  regiment  crossed  a  ravine 
by  which  they  had  been  separated  from  the  enemy 
with  a  shout  of  defiance  and  of  triumph,  and  again 
the  report  of  their  unerring  rifles  proved  the  death- 
knell  of  many  an  Aztec  warrior."  The  Mexicans 
were  thrown  into  disorder,  and  were  compelled  to 
retire  to  the  mountains  before  a  reorganization  could 
be  effected. 

At  this  stage,  Lieutenant  Kirigsbury  continues: 
"  While  the  dispersed  cavalry  of  the  Mexicans 
were  rallying,  Colonel  Davis  was  joined  by  the  Third 
Indiana  regiment,  and  one  piece  of  artillery  under 
Lieutenant  Kilburn,  and  a  short  time  subsequently 
by  Captain  Sherman  vvith  a  i2-pound  howitzer. 
The  action,  being  renewed,  was  maintained  with 
great  warmth  and  obstinacy  at  this  point,  the  enemy 
making  several  efforts  to  force  the  line,  and  being 
as  often  repulsed  with  considerable  loss.  The  con 
fidence  of  the  Mexicans  was  indeed  of  short  duration. 
"  In  the  mean  time  several  bodies  of  lancers  were 
concentrating  somewhat  to  the  rear  of  the  Ameri 
can  left,  with  the  apparent  design  of  making  a 
descent  upon  the  hacienda  of  Buena  Vista,  in  the 
vicinity  of  which  the  provision  and  baggage  trains 
were  deposited.  Two  pieces  of  artillery  from  Sher 
man's  battery  had  previously  been  ordered  thither, 
under  Lieutenant  Reynolds,  supported  by  regular 
dragoons  and  a  squadron  of  Arkansas  cavalry,  under 
the  poet  Captain  Pike.  The  scattered  forces  about 
the  hacienda — the  accumulation  of  fugitives  from  the 
different  parts  of  the  field — were  soon  partially  or 
ganized  under  the  direction  of  Major  Munroe,  of 


266  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

the  artillery,  assisted  by  Major  Morrison,  of  the 
volunteer  staff,  and  were  posted  to  defend  the  posi 
tion.  Before  the  dragoons  and  artillery  reached  the 
hacienda  the  columns  of  lancers,  advancing  at  a 
gallop,  were  met  near  the  Saltillo  road  by  the  Ken 
tucky  and  Arkansas  cavalry  under  Marshall,  who, 
after  discharging  their  carbines  with  but  little  effect, 
succeeded  in  dividing  the  Mexican  columns,  one  por 
tion  of  which  was  driven  back  to  its  previous  po 
sition.  The  advancing  squadrons  swept  past  the 
hacienda,  where  the  fugitive  Americans,  from  a  se 
cure  retreat,  opened  a  well-directed  and  effective 
fire  upon  them;  while  Reynolds's  artillery  followed 
fast  upon  their  precipitate  course  with  a  fierce  dis 
charge  of  shot  and  shells,  drove  them  across  the 
entire  valley,  and  forced  them  up  a  steep  ascent, 
through  a  gorge  in  the  opposite  range  of  mountains. 
"  Notwithstanding  these  repeated  repulses,  those 
of  the  Mexicans  who  had  been  driven  back  from  the 
hacienda  were  soon  joined  by  another  body  of  cav 
alry,  and,  thus  re-enforced,  again  advanced  with  a 
view  to  engage  the  Indiana  and  Mississippi  troops, 
which  now  held  a  position  nearly  midway  between 
the  base  of  the  mountains  and  the  hacienda.  As 
one  regiment  was  armed  with  rifles,  the  formation 
of  a  square  would  have  afforded  no  strength;  the 
two  corps  [regiments]  were  therefore  posted  so  as 
to  form  a  re-entering  angle,  the  opening  toward  the 
enemy,  and  the  vertex  resting  upon  the  edge  of  a  deep 
ravine,  and  thus  awaited  the  attack.  For  a  while  on 
came  the  enemy  with  lances  in  rest,  dashing  ahead 
with  a  haughty  confidence  and  proud  contempt  for 
the  insignificant  numbers  opposed  to  them.  But  as 
the  distance  diminished,  their  progress  gradually  be- 


CAMPAIGN   AND    BATTLE  OF   BUENA  VISTA.    267 

came  slower  and  slower,  until,  by  a  strange  fatality, 
the  whole  body  halted  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
Americans.  The  movement  seemed  a  mockery,  and 
had  they  borne  charmed  lives  they  could  not  have 
exhibited  more  indifference  to  human  power.  But 
that  halt  sealed  their  destiny.  Both  lines  had  fol 
lowed  Warren's  instructions  at  Bunker  Hill,  and 
'the  whites  of  the  eyes  '  being  now  '  fairly  visible,' 
the  arms  were  leveled,  and  then  gleamed  forth  a 
sheet  of  fire  that  scattered  the  foe  like  chaff,  felling 
many  a  gallant  steed  to  the  earth,  and  sending  scores 
of  riders  to  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking." 

Again  Lieutenant  Kingsbury,  noticing  the  Mexi 
can  lancers  and  other  Mexican  troops  cut  off  and 
defeated,  says : 

u  At  this  time  the  entire  Mexican  force,  which 
had  gained  the  rear  of  the  Americans,  was  in  a  criti 
cal  position.  The  infantry  held  it  on  the  left,  while 
the  artillery  in  front  was  making  fearful  carnage  at 
every  discharge.  It  was  impossible  to  advance,  and 
a  junction  with  the  main  body  seemed  hopeless." 
In  this  emergency  a  remarkable  method  was  resorted 
to  :  "  Four  officers  from  a  distant  point  were  suddenly 
observed  galloping  at  full  speed  toward  the  Ameri 
can  lines.  They  were  met  by  several  officers  of  the 
Kentucky  and  Illinois  regiments,  which  then  occu 
pied  an  advanced  position  on  the  plateau,  and  one 
of  them  was  conducted  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Clay 
to  the  presence  of  General  Taylor.  It  then  appeared 
that  he  bore  a  verbal  interrogatory  from  Santa  Anna, 
4  to  know  what  General  Taylor  wanted  ! ' "  This  absurd 
message  was  at  once  believed  to  be  a  mere  ruse,  but 
under  the  sanctity  of  a  white  flag  the  American  com 
mander  was  not  at  liberty  to  regard  it  as  an  act  of 


268  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

bad  faith,  and  dispatched  General  Wool  to  meet  the 
Mexican  general-in-chief,  at  the  same  moment  trans 
mitting  orders  to  cease  firing.  Mexican  historians 
state  that  the  ruse  of  the  white  flag  and  pretended 
message  originated  with  a  junior  officer  who  had  been 
cut  off,  and  not  with  Santa  Anna.  When  General 
Wool  reached  the  Mexican  lines,  however,  the  Mexi 
can  battery  refusing  to  cease  firing,  thereby  at  once 
exposing  the  stratagem  resorted  to  and  the  decep 
tion  which  had  been  thus  successfully  consummated, 
he  declared  the  parley  at  an  end,  and  returned  with 
out  seeing  Santa  Anna.  The  cessation  of  the  Ameri 
can  fire  had  enabled  the  extreme  right  of  the  enemy — 
that  is,  the  fourth  part  cut  off — to  complete  its  re 
treat  along  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and  effect  a 
reunion  with  the  main  body  of  the  Mexican  army. 

It  will  be  remembered  how  General  Taylor  had 
garrisoned  Saltillo.  General  Mifion  with  his  Mexi 
can  cavalry  brigade  was  often  in  sight  of  the  garrison 
during  the  engagement  then  taking  place  near  Buena 
Vista ;  "but  Minon  was  seemingly  waiting  for  Taylor's 
final  defeat  at  the  front,  to  render  that  defeat  a  dis 
graceful  rout.  At  noon  he  drew  near  the  garrison. 
He  intercepted  the  roads  which  led  to  the  front,  capt 
uring  some  stragglers  from  the  battle-field.  Finally, 
he  came  within  range  of  the  garrisoned  redoubt, 
when  Captain  Webster  rapidly  discharged  his  two 
howitzers.  Mifion,  not  wishing  his  horsemen  to  face 
this  fire,  drew  off  toward  the  southeast,  as  it  was  not 
his  part  to  attack  a  fortified  post.  Captain  Shover, 
however,  from  the  guard  of  the  train,  with  his  own 
field -piece  took  the  field,  followed  by  Captain 
Wheeler  with  a  company  of  Illinois  volunteers,  and 
Lieutenant  Donaldson  with  a  howitzer  from  the  re- 


CAMPAIGN  AND   BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA.    269 

doubt.  They  pressed  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  mov 
ing  Mexicans.  Minon  formed  once  or  twice  as  if  to 
charge  but  refrained.  The  guns  followed  him  con 
tinuously,  firing  whenever  an  opportunity  presented. 
The  Mexican  column  having  disappeared  in  a  ravine 
near  the  mountains,  Captain  Shover  reports  :  "  Just 
at  this  moment,  by  some  accident,  the  pole  of  the 
gun  limber  was  broken.  I  immediately  caused  the 
limber  of  the  caisson  to  supply  its  place.  The 
men,  with  most  commendable  activity,  replaced  it 
with  a  spare  pole  from  the  caisson.  While  this  was 
being  done  I  galloped  to  the  top  of  the  hill  above 
Arispa's  Mills,  where  a  grand  sight  burst  upon  my 
view.  The  whole  column  of  Minon  was  winding  its 
way  along  the  foot  of  the  mountain  and  through  the 
ravines,  more  than  half  the  column  being  within 
range  of  my  gun.  I  galloped  back  to  bring  it  up, 
placed  it  in  position,  and  fired  rapidly  into  their 
crowded  ranks,  producing  considerable  confusion 
and  much  execution.  One  squadron  faced  to  the 
rear  by  fours,  and  began  to  move  briskly  with  the 
evident  intention  of  charging  me,  when  a  shot  lodged 
in  their  ranks  sent  them  off  to  the  left-about  in  a 
gallop.  I  continued  to  fire  upon  them  as  long  as 
they  were  in  reach,  evidently  doing  them  much  dam 
age.  Owing  to  the  deep  ravines  over  which  they 
passed,  I  could  follow  them  no  farther,  but  I  felt 
very  much  gratified  that  we  had  been  able  to  drive 
them  from  the  plain.  During  the  latter  part  of  the 
firing  the  howitzer  under  Lieutenant  Donaldson  did 
serious  execution,  as  we  could  see  shells  bursting  in 
and  near  their  ranks." 

Well  on  in  the  afternoon,  as  a  last  effort  to  secure 
the  victory  that  for  a  time  he  thought  already  won, 


2/0 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


when  the  troops  which  had  pushed  so  far  toward 
Buena  Vista  were  returning,  Santa  Anna  moved  for 
ward  cannon  so  as  to  sweep  all  approaches  to  Tay 
lor's  new  lines  re-established  on  the  main  plateau  of 
Angostura.  He  transferred  the  superb  engineer  regi 
ment  to  his  own  right,  uniting  them  to  other  reserve 
troops  under  Brevet-General  Don  Francisco  Perez  ; 
he  had  reformed  in  columns  of  attack  all  the  avail 
able  men  of  the  divisions  of  Perez,  who  had  replaced 
the  wounded  Lombardini,  Ortega,  and  Pacheco.  The 
main  column  he  caused  Perez  to  form  in  a  deep 
ravine,  and  prepare  to  lead.  By  five  o'clock  all  was 
ready.  General  Perez  sent  up  to  the  plateau  an 
advance  guard,  a  sort  of  feeler  before  a  grand 
charge.  Captain  O'Brien,  who  had  again  obtained 
two  guns  from  Captain  Washington  and  had  gone 
upon  the  plateau,  and  Lieutenant  George  H.  Thomas, 
ready  with  another,  met  and  showered  this  Mexican 
advance  with  iron  hail,  and  cleared  the  plateau  as 
quickly  as  the  scattered  hostiles  could  run  to  cover. 
The  enterprising  Colonel  Hardin,  commanding  for 
the  time  five  companies  of  his  sturdy  regiment,  the 
First  Illinois,  the  Second  Illinois,  and  the  Second 
Kentucky,  thought  he  could  gloriously  close  out  the 
day  by  pursuing  the  retreating  infantry,  and  also 
possibly  by  capturing  those  troublesome  batteries 
which  Santa  Anna  had  just  ordered  to  fire.  The 
projectiles  appeared  to  come  from  the  mountain 
side.  Hardin  began  his  advance.  He  had  hardly 
emerged  from  the  heads  of  the  ravines  in  which 
they  were  lying,  and  cleared  the  edge  of  the  plateau, 
when  he  encountered,  face  to  face,  an  overwhelming 
force  of  Mexicans  already  in  motion.  Perez  had 
begun  his  strong  charge.  A  looker-on  says  graphic- 


CAMPAIGN   AND    BATTLE  OF   BUENA  VISTA.    27 1 

ally:  "The  small  band  under  Hardin  was  met  by  a 
rampart  of  bayonets,  and  hurled  back  as  the  spray 
is  dashed  from  the  billow."  Volley  after  volley  was 
thrown  against  these  moving  masses  ;  bullets  filled 
the  spaces.  Thomas  and  O'Brien,  who  rapidly  used 
their  field-guns,  kept  losing  horses  and  men,  till  the 
infantry  was  driven  down  a  ravine,  and  O'Brien  left 
two  of  his  guns  in  the  enemy's  hands.  He  had 
loaded  and  fired  till  all  his  cannoneers  were  killed  or 
wounded,  retreating  mostly  by  the  recoil  of  each 
piece.  He  had  held  on  until  Captain  Bragg,  having 
with  weary  horses  come  from  the  left,  again  went 
resolutely  into  battery  within  a  few  yards  of  Perez's 
front  men,  and  discharged  canister  into  their  faces. 
General  Taylor,  with  teeth  set,  stood  close  by,  grimly 
looking  on.  His  report  of  this  is  condensed  into  a 
sentence  :  "  The  first  discharge  of  canister  caused  the 
enemy  to  hesitate ;  the  second  and  third  drove  him 
back  in  disorder,  and  saved  the  day."  Of  course,  the 
general  means  Bragg  turned  the  tide.  Yet  there 
were  left  a  few  hurtful  eddies;  for  example,  some 
Mexican  regiments  had  swept  away  the  infantry,  and 
were  driving  them  toward  the  road  down  one  of  the 
ravines  in  front.  As  they  emerged  on  the  lower 
plain  Torrejon  charged.  In  watchful  readiness  the 
gallant  Captain  Washington  opened  upon  these  ener 
getic  and  hopeful  Mexicans.  His  first  shell  exploded 
in  the  leading  squadron,  and  dispersed  it.  The  rem 
nant  of  the  three  infantry  regiments  retreated  to 
him,  covered  by  his  accurate  and  rapid  firing. 

Notice  again  the  imperturbable  commander.  In 
fantry  supports  had  been  almost  destroyed.  Arkan 
sas,  Kentucky,  Illinois,  Mississippi,  Texas,  and  some 
Indiana  men  had  fought  hard,  all  this  dreadful 


2/2  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

day.  All  present  were  crippled  too  much  to  sup 
port  the  batteries.  The  companies  of  the  regular 
cavalry — i.  e.,  of  the  First  and  Second  Dragoons — 
were  but  a  handful,  and  Santa  Anna  still  had  a  mul 
titude  of  horsemen.  Was  it  not  time  to  give  back, 
and  seek  safety,  now  clearly  practicable,  in  flight  ? 
The  lightning  was  sharply  flashing  from  cloud  to 
cloud,  and  the  voice  of  thunder  gave  a  double  bass 
to  the  cannon  discharges  up  there  among  the  re 
verberating  hills.  No,  no  !  Zachary  Taylor  never 
thought  of  surrender  or  flight.  As  his  ordnance 
staff  officer  says :  "  How  his  lofty  spirit,  amid  the 
awful  peril  of  the  occasion,  bore  it  all  nobly,  has 
already  passed  into  history.  ...  It  is  true  there  was 
then  neither  cavalry  nor  infantry  on  which  to  rely, 
but  there  was  that  which  was  superior  to  both  !  it 
was  the  moral  power  of  the  presence  of  the  com 
manding  general."  Washington,  Bragg,  Sherman, 
Thomas,  Kilburn,  everybody  that  had  a  battery,  a 
section,  a  single  gun  left,  with  ammunition  to  fire  un 
der  his  direct  supervision,  brought  up  his  quota  and 
showed  at  that  moment  how  fearless  and  skillful  ar 
tillerists  could  load  and  fire  effective  shots.  The  por 
tions  of  the  solid  Mexican  columns  which  had  not  yet 
ceased  to  come  up  from  the  hollows  and  forward  and 
along  the  terrible  plateau,  were  pierced  by  the  dis 
charges  through  and  through.  Leaders  lost  their 
lives  or  their  control.  At  first,  gaps  in  Santa  Anna's 
ranks  were  speedily  filled,  and  the  momentum  pressed 
unwilling  men  toward  the  fatal  spot.  At  last,  how 
ever,  after  several  vain  attempts  to  spring  forward  and 
seize  the  murderous  cannon/  all  the  hostile  host,  as 
if  by  a  common  impulse,  began  to  break  right  and 
left  and  to  run  for  the  nearest  shelter.  The  Missis- 


CAMPAIGN   AND    BATTLE  OF   BUENA  VISTA.    273 

sippians  and  Third  Indiana,  who  had  already  done  so 
much  in  the  ravines  toward  Buena  Vista,  had  again 
come  forward  to  resolutely  help  the  artillery  and  the 
few  shattered  infantry  by  Taylor's  side.  They  then 
made  a  clear  and  final  sweep  of  the  plateau.  Vic 
tory  !  Victory  !  The  ten  mortal  hours  of  battling 
were  over.  The  storm  and  the  night  came  in  mercy 
to  close  out  the  struggle.  Then  Taylor  laid  down 
right  there  with  his  men  upon  the  field  he  had  won, 
fully  prepared — just  as  General  Grant  at  a  later 
period  always  was  in  such  an  emergency — to  renew 
the  conflict  at  the  dawn  of  the  next  day.  During 
the  ensuing  darkness  the  now  beaten  Mexicans  made 
a  weary,  sorrowful  retreat.  Taylor's  was  a  wonder 
ful  victory.  His  own  tired  men  could  at  first  hardly 
believe  it — a  victory  won  against  such  great  odds,  and 
withal  so  thoroughly  completed. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Comments  made  by  General  Taylor  and  others,  with  letters  bear 
ing  upon  the  remarkable  battle  of  Buena  Vista — Significant 
statement — Sorrow  tempers  his  rejoicing — Good  conduct  of 
the  troops  —  Effectiveness  of  Taylor's  artillery — The  enter 
prise  of  volunteers — How  Colonel  Jefferson  Davis  became 
forgiven  —  Letter  to  General  Butler  from  Agua  Nueva  — 
Letter  to  Henry  Clay — Another  to  Governor  Lincoln — De 
fensive  communication  to  the  Secretary  of  War — Santa  Anna's 
defense  of  his  retreat — Formal  orders  of  congratulation. 

IN  General  Taylor's  admirable  report  of  Buena 
Vista  he  has  given  some  historic  facts  that  we  may 
emphasize  by  a  reference  more  in  detail.  "  During 
the  night  of  the  23d  of  February,"  says  Taylor,  "  the 
wounded  were  removed  to  Saltillo,  and  every  prep 
aration  made  to  receive  the  enemy  should  he  again 
attack  our  position."  Yet,  very  early  in  the  morn 
ing,  it  was  ascertained  first  by  the  brave  Colonel 
Marshall  that  Santa  Anna  had  fled.  "  The  great 
disparity  of  numbers,  and  the  exhaustion  of  our 
troops,  rendered  it  inexpedient  and  hazardous  to  at 
tempt  pursuit."  The  list  of  casualties  in  that  pro 
longed  struggle  attest  this  simple  statement  of  the 
case.  More  than  a  sixth  of  the  whole  of  Taylor's 
force  had  been  dropped  out  as  killed,  wounded,  and 
missing;  the  missing  not  known  to  be  killed  or 
wounded  were  extraordinarily  few — indeed,  as  re 
ported,  but  twenty-three  men. 


COMMENTS   ON    BATTLE    OF    BUENA   VISTA. 


2/5 


The  24th  of  February  was  spent  in  exchanging 
prisoners,  according  to  agreement  with  Santa  Anna, 
responding  to  General  Taylor's  missive ;  and  there 
was  other  sadder  work — that  of  burial.  "  Our  own 
dead,"  the  General  remarks,  "  were  collected  and 
buried;  and  the  Mexican  wounded,  of  which  a  large 
number  had  been  left  upon  the  field,  were  removed 
to  Saltillo,  and  rendered  as  comfortable  as  circum 
stances  would  permit." 

After  this  faithful  duty,  General  Taylor  slowly 
pressed  his  reconnaissances  upon  the  heels  of  his 
enemy.  The  evening  of  the  26th  he  found  but  a 
small  rear-guard  of  Santa  Anna  at  Agua  Nueva, 
which  retired  upon  the  approach  of  the  Northern 
troops,  excepting,  of  course,  "  the  considerable  num 
ber  of  wounded."  Agua  Nueva  was  again  seized 
and  held.  Colonel  Belknap,  with  a  reconnoitering 
detachment,  went,  March  ist,  as  far  as  Encarnacion. 
Here  were  found  "  some  two  hundred  wounded,  and 
about  sixty  Mexican  soldiers."  General  Taylor  fur 
ther  uses  this  significant,  sadly  pictorial  expression  : 
"The  army  [Santa  Anna's]  having  passed  on  in  the 
direction  of  Matehuela,with  greatly  reduced  numbers, 
and  suffering  much  from  hunger,  the  dead  and  dying 
were  strewed  upon  the  road  and  crowded  the  build 
ings  of  the  hacienda."  By  hacienda  is  here  meant 
the  farms  or  small  hamlets  connected  therewith.  It 
is  from  this  picture  very  evident  that  the  victory  was 
bloody  and  decisive.  Santa  Anna  in  his  offensive 
advance  had  gone  beyond  his  proper  supplies  of 
food,  and  hence  hunger  as  well  as  the  bullets  of  the 
Americans  had  fought  against  him. 

General  Taylor's  heart  has  appeared  in  his  com 
ments  on  this  battle.  He  savs  with  sorrow  :  "  Our 


276  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

loss  has  been  especially  severe  in  officers,  twenty- 
eight  having  been  killed  upon  the  field.  We  have 
to  lament  the  death  of  Captain  George  Lincoln,  as 
sistant  adjutant-general,  serving  on  the  staff  of 
General  Wool,  a  young  officer  of  high  bearing  and 
approved  gallantry,  who  fell  early  in  the  action.  No 
loss  falls  more  heavily  upon  the  army  in  the  field 
than  that  of  Colonels  Hardin  and  McKee  and  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Clay.  Possessing  in  a  remarkable 
degree  the  confidence  of  their  commands,  and  the 
last  two  having  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  a  military 
education,  I  looked  particularly  to  them  for  support 
in  case  we  met  the  enemy.  I  need  not  say  that  their 
zeal  in  engaging  the  enemy,  and  the  cool  and  stead 
fast  courage  with  which  they  maintained  their  posi 
tions  during  the  day,  fully  realized  my  hopes,  and 
caused  me  to  feel  yet  more  sensibly  their  untimely 
loss. 

"  I  perform  a  grateful  duty  in  bringing  to  the 
notice  of  the  Government  the  general  good  conduct 
of  the  troops.  Exposed  for  successive  nights,  with 
out  fires,  to  the  severity  of  the  weather,  they  were 
ever  prompt  and  cheerful  in  the  discharge  of  every 
duty,  and  finally  displayed  conspicuous  steadiness 
and  gallantry  in  repulsing,  at  great  odds,  a  disci 
plined  foe.  While  the  brilliant  success  achieved  by 
their  arms  releases  me  from  the  painful  necessity  of 
specifying  many  cases  of  bad  conduct  before  the 
enemy,  I  feel  an  increased  obligation  to  mention 
particular  corps  and  officers,  whose  skill,  coolness, 
and  gallantry  in  trying  situations,  and  under  a  con 
tinued  and  heavy  fire,  seem  to  merit  particular 
notice. 

"To  Brigadier-General  Wool  my  obligations  are 


COMMENTS   ON   BATTLE   OF    BUENA   VISTA.    277 

especially  due.  The  high  state  of  discipline  and  in 
struction  of  several  of  the  volunteer  regiments  was 
attained  under  his  command,  and  to  his  vigilance 
and  arduous  service  before  the  action,  and  his  gal 
lantry  and  activity  on  the  field,  a  large  share  of  our 
success  may  largely  be  attributed.  During  most  of 
the  engagement  he  was  in  immediate  command  of 
the  troops  thrown  back  on  our  left  flank.  I  beg 
leave  to  recommend  him  to  the  honorable  notice  of 
the  Government." 

To  entertain  a  generous,  unselfish  appreciation 
of  a  subordinate  who  has  rank  sufficient  to  be  a 
rival,  and  give  him  due  credit  not  only  by  praising 
him  but  specifying  the  work  actually  done  by  him, 
indicates  a  quality  that  all  the  so-called  great  gen 
erals  do  not  possess.  This  sort  bespeaks  magna 
nimity.  This  noble  quality  every  letter  and  report 
of  General  Taylor  from  the  fields  of  active  opera 
tions  unreservedly  exhibits. 

In  reviewing  the  accounts  of  Buena  Vista — in  fact 
of  the  entire  Mexican  War — one  must  be  struck  with 
the  wonderful  skill,  independence,  and  effectiveness 
of  General  Taylor's  artillery.  With  regard  to  the 
artillerists  in  the  last  engagement,  the  General  re 
ported  :  "  The  services  of  the  light  artillery,  always 
conspicuous,  were  more  than  usually  distinguished. 
Moving  rapidly  over  the  roughest  ground,  it  was 
always  in  action  at  the  right  place  and  the  right 
time,  and  its  well-directed  fire  dealt  destruction  in 
the  masses  of  the  enemy."  It  seems  as  though 
language  was  not  strong  enough  to  enable  him  to 
sketch  and  convey  his  appreciation.  He  afterward, 
in  writing,  called  many  by  name  who  had  rendered 
"  valuable  service  "  or  shown  "  gallant  conduct  "  in 

10 


278 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


such  a  way  as  to  be  brought  to  his  notice ;  for  ex 
ample,  Major  Munroe,  Captains  Washington,  Sher 
man,  Bragg,  and  O'Brien,  Lieutenants  Brent,  Whit 
ing,  Couch,  Bryan,  Thomas,  Reynolds,  French, 
Shover,  Kilburn,  and  Donaldson.  These  men  were 
then  attached  to  some  part  of  his  artillery.  Again  he 
mentions  Lieutenant-Colonel  May,  Captain  Steen,  and 
Captain  Pike,  with  the  regular  or  volunteer  cavalry, 
and  many,  many  others,  from  the  officers  command 
ing  brigades  and  regiments  to  those  who  in  humbler 
capacities  did  something  worthy  of  mark,  and  to 
those  who  fell  or  were  wounded  in  the  battle.  There 
appears  to  the  reviewer  of  these  reports  a  grace  and 
a  generosity  which  army  and  navy  commanders  may 
well  pattern  after  in  their  important  public  reports. 

It  will  be  recalled  that  Lieutenant  (now  Colonel) 
Jefferson  Davis,  when  an  officer  in  his  regiment,  had 
not  been  to  General  Taylor  a  very  acceptable  suitor 
for  the  hand  of  his  beloved  daughter.  But  the  per 
severing  young  man,  having  inspired  her  with  senti 
ments  akin  to  his  own  and  in  his  own  favor,  had  fol 
lowed  up  his  advantage,  till,  some  years  before  the 
war,  he  succeeded  in  securing  with  her  an  elopement. 
General  Taylor  was  greatly  grieved  at  his  child's 
conduct,  and  incensed  beyond  measure  with  Davis, 
so  much  so  that  the  young  people  were  for  a  time 
forbidden  his  home.  Then,  to  make  matters  more 
grievous,  the  young  wife,  before  the  expiration  of 
the  first  year  of  her  married  life,  died,  and  before 
there  had  been  any  expressed  forgiveness  from  her 
father. 

It  is  said  that  not  until  this  battle  did  the  strong- 
hearted  old  man  altogether  give  over  his  indignation 
against  his  son-in-law.  Here,  however,  Davis's  sol- 


COMMENTS   ON    BATTLE    OF   BUENA    VISTA.    279 

dierly  bearing  and  extraordinary  efficiency  shown  in 
the  engagement  broke  down  every  hostile  partition 
that  had  remained  in  his  mind.  Notice  how  General 
Taylor  mentions  the  new  colonel  and  his  command 
after  Buena  Vista!  He  says:  "The  Mississippi 
riflemen,  under  Colonel  Davis,  were  highly  conspicu 
ous  for  their  gallantry  and  steadiness,  and  sustained 
throughout  the  engagement  the  reputation  of  vet 
eran  troops.  Brought  into  action  against  an  im 
mensely  superior  force,  they  maintained  themselves 
for  a  long  time  unsupported  and  with  heavy  loss, 
and  held  an  important  part  of  the  field  until  re-en 
forced.  Colonel  Davis,  though  severely  wounded, 
remained  in  the  saddle  until  the  close  of  the  action. 
His  distinguished  coolness  and  gallantry  at  the  head 
of  his  regiment  on  this  day  entitle  him  to  the  par 
ticular  notice  of  the  Government."  In  the  light  of 
such  a  report  it  is  not  at  all  strange  that  the  gen 
eral  who,  with  such  a  nature  as  his,  could  not  long 
entertain  anger,  offered  the  olive-branch.  He  prob 
ably  only  needed  a  pretext  to  extend  to  Colonel 
,  Davis  his  hand  with  an  entire  forgiveness. 

An  extract  from  a  private  letter  wiitten  from 
Agua  Nueva  to  General  E.  G.  W.  Butler  by  General 
Taylor  further  affords  some  pertinent  facts  concern 
ing  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista  that  ought  not  to  be 
omitted.  He  writes  of  the  onslaught  of  the  Mexicans 
during  the  23d  of  February  in  these  words  :  "A  por 
tion  of  the  time  the  conflict  was  much  the  severest  I 
have  ever  witnessed,  particularly  toward  the  latter 
part  of  the  day,  when  he  [Santa  Anna]  brought  up 
his  reserve,  and  in  spite  of  every  effort  on  our  part, 
after  the  greatest  exertion  I  have  ever  witnessed  on 
both  sides,  drove  us,  by  an  immense  superiority  of 


28o  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

numbers,  for  some  distance.  He  had  at  least  five  to 
one  at  that  point  against  us.  Fortunately,  at  the 
most  critical  moment,  two  pieces  of  artillery  which 
I  had  ordered  up  to  support  that  part  of  our  line 
met  our  exhausted  men  retreating,  when  they  were 
brought  into  battery  and  opened  on  the  enemy,  then 
within  fifty  yards  in  hot  pursuit,  with  canister  and 
grape,  which  brought  him  to  a  halt  and  soon  com 
pelled  him  to  fall  back.  In  this  tremendous  contest 
we  lost  three  pieces  of  artillery,  nearly  all  the  men 
having  been  killed  or  crippled,  which  put  it  out  of 
our  power  to  bring  them  off;  nor  did  I  deem  it  ad 
visable  to  attempt  to  regain  them. 

"  For  several  hours  the  fate  of  the  day  was  ex 
tremely  doubtful ;  so  much  so  that  I  was  urged  by 
some  of  the  most  experienced  officers  to  fall  back 
and  take  a  new  position. 

"  This  I  knew  it  would  never  do  to  attempt  with 
volunteers,  and  at  once  declined  it.  The  scene  had 
now  become  one  of  the  deepest  interest.  Between 
the  several  deep  ravines  there  were  portions  of  level 
land  from  one  to  four  hundred  yards  in  extent, 
which,  after  our  left  was  turned,  became  alternately 
points  of  attack  and  defense  by  both  sides.  These 
extended  along  and  near  the  base  of  the  mountain 
for  about  two  miles,  and  the  struggle  for  them  may 
very  appropriately  be  compared  to  a  game  of  chess. 
Night  put  a  stop  to  the  contest,  and,  strange  to  say, 
both  armies  occupied  the  same  positions  they  did  in 
the  morning  before  the  battle  commenced.  Our  ar 
tillery  did  more  than  wonders. 

"  We  lay  on  our  arms  all  night,  as  we  had  done 
the  two  previous  ones,  without  fires,  there  being  no 
wood  to  be  had,  and  the  mercury  below  the  freezing- 


COMMENTS   ON    BATTLE    OF   BUENA   VISTA.    28l 

point,  ready  and  expectant  to  renew  the  contest  the 
next  morning;  but  we  found,  at  daylight,  that  the 
enemy  had  retreated  during  the  night,  leaving  his 
killed  and  many  of  his  wounded  for  us  to  bury  and 
take  care  of,  carrying  off  everything  else,  and  taking 
up  a  position  at  this  place  [i.  e.,  Agua  Nueva].  We 
did  not  think  it  advisable  to  pursue — not  knowing 
whether  he  would  renew  the  attack,  continue  his  re 
treat,  or  wish  to  draw  us  from  our  strong  position — 
but  contented  ourselves  with  watching  his  movements 
closely. 

"The  loss  on  both  sides  was  very  great,  as  you 
may  suppose — enough  so  on  ours  to  cover  the  whole 
country  with  mourning,  for  some  of  the  noblest  and 
purest  of  the  land  have  fallen.  We  had  two  hundred 
and  forty  killed,  and  five  hundred  wounded.  The 
enemy  has  suffered  in  still  greater  numbers,  but  as 
the  dead  and  wounded  are  scattered  all  over  the 
country  it  is  difficult  to  ascertain  their  number.  The 
prisoners  who  have  fallen  into  our  hands — between 
two  and  three  hundred,  enough  to  exchange  for  all 
that  have  been  taken  from  us — as  well  as  some  medi 
cal  officers  left  behind  to  take  care  of  the  wounded, 
declare  that  their  killed  and  wounded  are  not  less 
than  fifteen  hundred,  and  perhaps  more. 

"  I  hope  the  greater  portion  of  the  good  people 
of  the  country  will  be  satisfied  with  what  we  have 
done  on  this  occasion.  I  natter  myself  that  our 
compelling  a  Mexican  army  of  more  than  twenty 
thousand  men,  completely  organized,  and  led  by  their 
chief  magistrate,  to  retreat,  with  less  than  five  hun 
dred  regulars  and  about  four  thousand  volunteers, 
will  meet  their  approval.  I  had  not  a  single  company 
of  regular  infantry;  the  whole  was  taken  from  me." 


282  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Very  soon  after  making  his  most  important  re 
ports  and  official  returns,  and  after  he  had  published 
his  order  of  congratulation  to  his  proud  little  army, 
he  moved  his  headquarters  forward  to  Agua  Nueva. 
He  did  much  from  this  point  toward  putting  his  de 
partment — for  it  was  now  a  geographical  department 
in  fact,  if  not  in  name — into  a  proper  defensive  atti 
tude.  His  troops  had  several  skirmishes  and  minor 
combats  with  the  enemy's  cavalry,  which  resulted  in 
every  instance  favorably  to  his  arms.  While  so  en 
gaged  he  found  time  to  pen  some  of  those  admirable 
letters  which  have  become  historic.  Like  Grant  and 
Sherman  in  the  civil  war,  Taylor  had  the  faculty  of 
expressing  himself  with  great  clearness,  and  with 
words  that  not  only  show  a  large  mental  capacity, 
but  refinement  and  goodness  of  heart.  The  few  fol 
lowing  witness  for  themselves: 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  AGUA  NUEVA,  March  i,  1847. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR  :  You  will  no  doubt  have  received, 
before  this  can  reach  you,  the  deeply  distressing  in 
telligence  of  the  death  of  your  son  in  the  battle  of 
Buena  Vista.  It  is  with  no  wish  of  intruding  upon 
the  sanctuary  of  parental  sorrow,  and  with  no  hope 
of  administering  any  consolation  to  your  wounded 
heart,  that  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  addressing 
you  these  few  lines ;  but  I  have  felt  it  a  duty  which 
I  owed  to  the  memory  of  the  distinguished  dead  to 
pay  a  willing  tribute  to  his  many  excellent  qualities, 
and,  while  my  feelings  are  still  fresh,  to  express  the 
desolation  which  his  untimely  loss,  and  that  of  other 
kindred  spirits,  has  occasioned. 

"  I  had  but  a  casual  acquaintance  with  your  son 
until  he  became  for  a  time  a  member  of  my  military 


COMMENTS   ON    BATTLE   OF   BUENA  VISTA.    283 

family,  and  I  can  truly  say  that  no  one  ever  won 
rriore  rapidly  upon  my  regard,  or  established  a  more 
lasting  claim  to  my  respect  and  esteem.  Manly  and 
honorable  in  every  impulse,  with  no  feeling  but  for 
the  honor  of  the  service  and  of  the  country,  he  gave 
every  assurance  that  in  the  hour  of  need  I  could  lean 
with  confidence  upon  his  support.  Nor  was  I  disap 
pointed.  Under  the  guidance  of  himself  and  the 
lamented  McKee,  gallantly  did  the  sons  of  Ken 
tucky,  in  the  thickest  of  the  strife,  uphold  the  honor 
of  the  State  and  of  the  country. 

"  A  grateful  people  will  do  justice  to  the  memory 
of  those  who  fell  on  that  eventful  day.  But  I  may 
be  permitted  to  express  the  bereavement  which  I 
feel  in  the  loss  of  valued  friends.  To  your  son  I 
felt  bound  by  the  strongest  ties  of  private  regard ; 
and  when  I  miss  his  familiar  face,  and  those  of  Mc 
Kee  and  Hardin,  I  can  say  with  truth  that  I  feel  no 
exultation  in  our  success. 

"  With  the  expression  of  my  deepest   and  most 
heartfelt  sympathies  for  your  irreparable  loss, 
"  I  remain  your  friend, 

"Z.  TAYLOR. 
"  HON.  HENRY  CLAY." 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  AGUA  NUEVA,  April  3,  1847. 
"SiR:  Your  letter  of  the  4th  ult.,  in  relation  to 
the  remains  and  effects  of  your  much  lamented  son, 
Captain  George  Lincoln,  has  safely  reached  me.  I 
beg  leave  to  offer  my  heartfelt  sympathies  with  you 
in  the  heavy  affliction  which  has  befallen  you  in 
the  death  of  this  accomplished  gentleman.  In  his 
fall  you  have  been  bereaved  of  a  son  of  whom  you 
might  be  most  justly  proud,  while  the  army  has  lost 


284  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

one  of  its  most  gallant  soldiers.  It  is  hoped,  how 
ever,  that  your  deep  grief  will  be  assuaged  in  some 
degree  in  the  proud  reflection  that  he  fell  nobly  upon 
the  field  of  battle,  while  gallantly  discharging  the 
duties  of  his  profession. 

"  I  learn,  upon  inquiry,  that  the  body  of  your  son 
was  carefully  removed  from  the  field  immediately 
after  his  death,  and  that  it  was  decently  interred  by 
itself.  Its  identity  is  therefore  a  matter  of  certainty. 
His  effects  are  understood  to  have  been  collected 
with  due  care,  and  are  now  under  the  direction  of 
General  Wool. 

"  I  shall  take  an  early  occasion  to  convey  your 
wishes  on  this  subject  to  that  officer,  with  the  re 
quest  that  he  will  be  kind  enough  to  put  the  remains 
and  effects,  carefully  prepared  for  transportation,  en 
route  for  New  York  or  Boston,  by  the  first  safe  op 
portunity,  and  that  he  give  you,  at  the  same  time, 
due  notice  thereof. 

"  I  am,  sir,  with  great  respect, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"Z.  TAYLOR. 

"Ex-Governor  LINCOLN,  Massachusetts" 

Another  letter  from  the  same  place,  dated  March 
3d.  indicates  in  a  measure  something  of  the  hard 
usage  General  Taylor  was  at  that  time  receiving 
from  the  Administration  at  Washington,  and  also  the 
fearlessness  and  manliness  which  the  general  himself 
evinced  in  repelling  unjust  censure.  The  letter  was 
addressed  to  Mr.  Marcy,  Secretary  of  War,  and 
reads  as  follows : 

"  I  have  had  the  honor  to  receive  your  communica 
tion  of  January  27th,  inclosing  a' newspaper  slip,  and 


COMMENTS   ON    BATTLE   OF   BUENA  VISTA.    285 

expressing  the  regret  of  the  Department  that  the  let 
ter  copied  in  that  slip,  and  which  was  addressed  by 
myself  to  Major-General  Gaines,  should  have  been 
published.  Although  your  letter  does  not  convey 
the  direct  censure  of  the  Department  and  the  Presi 
dent,  yet,  when  it  is  taken  in  connection  with  the 
revival  of  the  paragraph  in  the  Regulations  of  1825, 
touching  the  publication  of  private  letters  concern 
ing  operations  in  the  field,  I  am  not  permitted  to 
doubt  that  I  have  become  an  object  of  Executive 
disapprobation.  To  any  expression  of  it  coming 
from  the  authority  of  the  President  I  am  bound  by 
my  duty,  and  by  my  respect  for  his  high  office, 
patiently  to  submit;  but  lest  my  silence  should  be 
construed  into  a  tacit  admission  of  the  grounds  and 
conclusions  set  forth  in  your  communication,  I  deem 
it  a  duty  which  I  owe  to  myself  to  submit  a  few  re 
marks  in  reply. 

"  I  shall  be  pardoned  for  speaking  plainly.  In 
the  first  place,  the  published  letter  bears  upon  its 
face  the  most  conclusive  evidence  that  it  was  in 
tended  only  for  private  perusal,  and  not  at  all  for 
publication.  It  was  published  without  my  knowl 
edge  and  contrary  to  my  wishes.  Surely  I  need  not 
say  that  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  writing  for  the 
newspapers.  The  letter  was  a  familiar  one,  written 
to  an  old  military  friend  with  whom  I  have  been  for 
many  years  interchanging  opinions  on  professional 
subjects.  That  he  should  think  proper  under  any 
circumstances  to  publish  it,  could  not  have  been 
foreseen  by  me. 

"In  the  absence  of  proof  that  the  publication 
was  made  without  my  authority  or  knowledge,  I  may 
be  permitted  to  say  the  quotation  in  your  letter  of 


286  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

the  65oth  paragraph  of  the  superseded  Regulations 
of  1825,  in  which  the  terms  'mischievous  and  dis 
graceful  '  are  employed  to  characterize  certain  let 
ters  or  reports,  conveys,  though  not  openly,  a  meas 
ure  of  rebuke  which,  to  say  the  least,  is  rather 
harsh,  and  which  I  may  think  not  warranted  by  the 
premises. 

"  Again,  I  have  examined  the  letter  in  question, 
and  I  do  not  admit  that  it  is  obnoxious  to  the  objec 
tions  urged  in  your  communication.  I  see  nothing 
in  it  which,  under  the  same  circumstances,  I  would 
not  write  again.  To  suppose  that  it  will  give  the 
enemy  valuable  information  touching  our  posts  or 
respective  line  of  operations,  is  to  know  very  little 
of  the  Mexican  sources  of  information,  or  of  their 
extraordinary  sagacity  and  facilities  in  keeping  con 
stantly  apprised  of  our  movements.  As  to  my  par 
ticular  views  in  regard  to  the  general  policy  to  be 
pursued  toward  Mexico,  I  perceive  from  the  public 
journals  that  they  are  shared  by  many  distinguished 
statesmen ;  also,  in  part,  by  conspicuous  officers  of 
the  navy,  the  publication  of  whose  opinions  is  not, 
perhaps,  obstructed  by  any  regulations  of  the  De 
partment.  It  is  difficult,  then,  to  imagine  how  the 
diffusion  of  mine  can  render  any  peculiar  aid  to  the 
enemy,  or  specially  disincline  him  to  enter  into  nego 
tiations  for  peace. 

"  In  conclusion  I  would  say  that  it  has  given  me 
great  pain  to  be  brought  into  the  position  in  which  I 
now  find  myself  in  regard  to  the  Department  of  War 
and  the  Government.  It  has  not  been  of  my  own 
seeking.  To  the  extent  of  my  abilities  and  the 
means  placed  at  my  disposal  I  have  sought  faith 
fully  to  serve  the  country  by  carrying  out  the  rules 


COMMENTS   ON    BATTLE   OF   BUENA   VISTA.    287 

and  instructions  of  the  Executive ;  but  it  can  not  be 
concealed  that,  since  the  capture  of  Monterey,  the 
confidence  of  the  Department,  and,  I  too  much  fear, 
of  the  President,  has  been  gradually  withdrawing, 
and  my  consideration  and  usefulness  correspond 
ingly  diminished.  The  apparent  determination  of 
the  Department  to  place  me  in  an  attitude  antagonis- 
tical  to  the  Government,  has  an  apt  illustration  in 
the  well-known  fable  of  ^Esop. 

"  I  ask  no  favor  and  I  shrink  from  no  responsi 
bility  while  intrusted  with  the  command  in  this  quar 
ter.  I  shall  continue  to  devote  all  my  energies  to 
the  public  good,  looking  for  my  reward  to  the  con 
sciousness  of  pure  motives  and  to  the  final  verdict 
of  impartial  history/' 

While  General  Taylor  occupied  his  humble  tent 
at  Agua  Nueva  and  conducted  his  compassionate 
and  able  correspondence,  Santa  Anna  was  gradually 
drawing  back  his  forces  into  the  interior  of  Mexico. 
The  latter  had  almost  ignored  his  own  wounded,  but 
finally  he  declared  that,  "as  I  had  not  means  for 
their  conveyance,  the  enemy  [General  Taylor]  might 
take  them  to  Saltillo,  under  the  protection  of  the  laws 
of  nations."  He  could  not  conceive  where  Taylor 
had  obtained  any  prisoners,  "  unless  it  were  some  of 
our  dispersed  troops,  or  some  who,  from  the  fatigue 
of  the  two  previous  days,  had  remained  asleep  when 
we  moved  "  ;  still,  he  at  last  condescended  to  make 
the  proposed  exchange,  and  he  furthermore  gra 
ciously  allowed  the  bandage  to  be  removed  from  the 
eyes  of  the  officer  bearing  the  white  flag — an  honor 
indeed  only  rendered  to  him  personally — permitting 
him  to  behold  the  abundance  of  his  troops  and  the 
sickness  of  his  camp.  Santa  Anna's  reasons  for  his 


288  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

retreat  were  ample — not  beeves  enough  to  last  a 
week,  horses  without  forage,  the  wounded  that  were 
still  with  him  suffering  for  everything  needful,  the 
rigor  of  the  climate  in  that  early  spring,  "the  entire 
want  of  bread,"  and  the  alkaline  water,  increasing 
sickness,  more  than  half  of  his  army  laid  by  from  its 
ravages.  We  do  not  wonder  that  he  wrote  such 
graphic  sentences  as  these : 

a  I  knew  that  a  retrograde  movement  to  our 
former  position  had  become  inevitable ;  but  though 
everything  around  me  proclaimed  this  necessity,  my 
feelings  revolted  against  it,  solely  because  I  foresaw 
that,  from  ignorance,  malice,  or  presumption,  the 
countermarch  would  be  condemned,  and  that  those 
who  did  not  witness  our  situation  would  imagine  the 
possibility  of  the  army's  continuing  its  operations. 
...  A  mere  determined  number  of  men  will  not,  as 
many  imagine,  suffice  for  the  prosecution  of  war;  it 
is  indispensable  that  they  be  armed,  equipped,  dis 
ciplined,  and  habilitated,  and  that  a  systematized 
support  for  such  an  organized  force  be  provided. 
We  must  bear  in  mind  that  we  have  to  combat  in  a 
region  deficient  of  all  resources,  and  that  everything 
for  subsistence  has  to  be  carried  along  with  the  sol 
diery.  The  good  will  of  a  few  will  not  suffice,  but 
the  co-operation  of  all  is  needed." 

The  foregoing  pregnant  discourse  is  a  clear 
demonstration  also  of  the  exceeding  hardness  of 
General  Taylor's  tasks  ;  but,  as  we  have  clearly  seen 
in  offensive  and  defensive  operations,  in  campaign 
and  battle,  in  a  country  that  from  barrenness  itself 
fought  against  him,  he  overcame  all  opposition.  He 
was  subjected  to  an  extraordinary  depletion,  his  best 
troops  taken  from  him,  and  himself  rewarded  with 


COMMENTS    ON    BATTLE    OF    BUENA   VISTA.    289 

fault-finding  from  executive  officials;  and  yet,  calmly 
trusting  in  himself  and  his  little  band,  under  a  Prov 
idence  most  unreservedly  believed  in,  he  went  on, 
like  Joshua  of  old,  to  a  splendid  victory — a  marvel 
ous  success.  We  can  not  better  close  this  chapter  of 
Taylor's  doings  and  sayings  than  by  giving  his 
beautiful  congratulatory  address  to  his  victorious 
little  army  : 

"  i.  The  commanding  general  has  the  grateful 
task  of  congratulating  the  troops  upon  the  brilliant 
success  which  attended  their  arms  in  the  conflicts  of 
the  22d  and  the  23d  [February,  1847].  Confident  in 
the  immense  superiority  of  numbers,  and  stimulated 
by  the  presence  of  the  distinguished  leader,  the 
Mexican  troops  were  yet  repulsed  in  efforts  to  force 
our  lines,  and  finally  withdrew  with  immense  loss 
from  the  field. 

"  2.  The  general  would  express  his  obligations  to 
the  officers  and  men  engaged  for  the  cordial  sup 
port  which  they  rendered  throughout  the  action.  It 
will  be  his  highest  pride  to  bring  to  the  notice  of 
the  Government  the  conspicuous  gallantry  of  differ 
ent  officers  and  corps,  whose  unwavering  steadiness 
more  than  once  saved  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  He 
would  also  express  his  high  satisfaction  with  the 
conduct  of  the  small  command  left  to  hold  Saltillo. 
Though  not  so  seriously  engaged  as  their  comrades, 
their  services  were  very  important,  and  were  efficient 
ly  rendered.  While  bestowing  this  just  tribute  to 
the  good  conduct  of  the  troops,  the  general  deeply 
regrets  to  say  that  there  were  not  a  few  exceptions. 
He  trusts  that  those  who  fled  ingloriously  to  Buena 
Vista,  and  even  to  Saltillo,  will  seek  an  opportunity 
to  retrieve  their  reputation,  and  to  emulate  the 


2  QO 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


bravery  of  their  comrades  who  bore  the  brunt  of  the 
battle,  and  sustained  against  fearful  odds  the  honor 
of  our  flag. 

"The  exultation  of  success  is  checked  by  the 
heavy  sacrifices  of  life  which  it  has  cost,  embracing 
many  officers  of  high  rank  and  rare  merit.  While  the 
sympathies  of  a  grateful  country  will  be  given  to  the 
bereaved  friends  and  families  of  those  who  nobly 
fell,  their  illustrious  example  will  remain  for  the 
benefit  and  admiration  of  the  army." 

NOTE. — Taking  with  me  Lieutenant  Guy  Howard  and  Mr.  L. 
M.  Johnson,  the  railroad  manager  of  the  Mexican  International 
road,  I  left  Monterey  at  3.30  A.M.,  Thursday,  March  10,  1892,  for 
Saltillo.  The  connecting  railroad  is  of  the  narrow  gauge ;  the 
ascent  is  gradual  but  continuous  over  the  entire  route,  about  sixty- 
eight  miles.  By  seven  o'clock  we  were  breakfasting  at  the  princi 
pal  hotel  (Esterban)  of  that  beautiful  city.  Immediately  after 
breakfast  we  paid  our  respects  to  the  Governor  of  the  State,  Gen 
eral  Garza  Galan,  at  his  palace.  He  had  his  own  interpreter,  Senor 
Mesquez.  Having  explained  the  object  of  my  visit,  the  courteous 
Governor,  regretting  that  he  could  not  go  himself,  gave  us,  for  escort 
to  the  battle-field  of  Buena  Vista,  the  interpreter,  the  mayor  of  the 
city,  Jesus  LoValde,  also  a  friend  of  the  mayor.  Two  good  car 
riages  were  furnished  for  the  party,  and  a  Mexican  guide,  whose 
name  is  Sanchez,  the  son  of  General  Sanchez.  This  guide  was  a 
young  soldier  in  Santa  Anna's  cavalry  at  the  time  of  the  great 
battle.  Through  the  excellent  interpreter  this  now  aged  Mexi 
can  soldier  went  over  the  ridges  and  plateaus  and  through  the 
ravines  to  point  out  to  us  the  position  the  troops  had  occupied 
from  Angostura,  obliquely  forward  to  the  mountain  ranges.  He 
was  very  clear  in  his  recollections  of  the  events  of  Buena  Vista, 
particularly  of  the  ground  occupied  by  General  Santa  Anna's 
army.  By  a  spring  of  water  near  an  old  cotton-wood  tree  was 
the  place  our  friends  selected  to  cook  a  "  kid "  and  to  spread 
the  choice  lunch  which  the  Governor  had  ordered  for  our  benefit. 
My  personal  survey  and  that  of  those  with  me,  under  such  guid 
ance,  gave  me  an  altogether  new  conception  of  the  situation  of  the 
pass,  of  the  ridges  and  ravines,  of  the  mountains,  and  of  the  little 


COMMENTS   ON    BATTLE    OF    BUENA   VISTA.    29! 

hacienda  of  Buena  Vista  to  the  rear.  I  was  particularly  struck 
with  the  exceeding  roughness  of  the  region,  the  steepness  of  the 
ridges,  and  the  inevitable  loose  stones  which  rendered  it  so  exceed 
ingly  difficult  to  ascend  over  them  with  cavalry  and  artillery  horses. 
The  altitude  of  the  pass  renders  it  cool  at  any  time.  On  returning 
the  six  miles  to  Saltillo,  the  work  of  General  Taylor's  detachments 
and  the  different  points  where  the  struggle  was  the  fiercest  became 
very  apparent.  The  Governor  himself,  later  in  the  day,  went  with 
me  to  the  height  fortified  and  occupied  by  General  Taylor's  guard 
and  reserve  left  at  Saltillo.  An  immense  spring  of  water  is  close  by 
the  steep  hill,  now  crowned  by  a  redoubt,  which  was  renewed  in 
1865  during  the  Maximilian  campaign.  In  fact,  the  other  twin 
hill  south  of  Saltillo  is  now  fortified.  I  can  not  help  feeling, 
even  after  forty-five  years,  how  plain  are  the  evidences  not  only  ol 
the  boldness  of  General  Taylor's  operations,  but  of  his  thorough 
ness  and  carefulness  in  his  preparations  for  battle.  And,  taking  into 
the  account  my  knowledge  of  the  superiority  of  Taylor's  artillery, 
and  of  the  singular  disabilities  under  which  General  Santa  Anna 
labored  from  the  condition  of  his  command,  to  which  he  had  but 
recently  come,  with  the  hardness  of  the  country  over  which  he 
marched,  my  respect  for  the  energy  and  ability  of  Santa  Anna 
himself  was  increased  rather  than  diminished.  Had  not  a  good 
Providence  raised  up  for  us  that  indomitable  hero,  Zachary  Tay 
lor,  to  meet  him  at  the  pass  of  Angostura,  surely  he  would  have 
succeeded  in  his  enterprise,  even  unfavorable  as  the  situation  ne 
cessarily  was  for  him.  THE  AUTHOR. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

A  messenger  sent  to  Washington — Escort  attacked — Mexican  Gen 
eral  Urrea  took  the  field,  and  filled  the  military  department 
with  troublesome  detachments — General  Taylor  defeated  him, 
and  cleared  his  whole  front — Headquarters  again  at  Monte 
rey — Walnut  Springs — Comparative  quiet — Perplexing  letters 
from  all  parts — How  answered — The  candidacy  for  the  presi 
dency  of  the  United  States  kept  before  General  Taylor's  mind 
in  spite  of  efforts  to  mind  only  his  military  work. 

GENERAL  TAYLOR  sent  to  Washington  his  report 
of  Buena  Vista  by  the  hands  of  Mr.  Thomas  L.  Crit- 
tenden,  of  whom  he  said  in  the  report,  "  though 
not  in  service,  he  volunteered  as  my  aide-de-camp  on 
this  occasion,  and  served  with  credit  in  that  capaci 
ty."  Some  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons  and  this 
honorable  messenger  were  directed  toward  Camargo. 
They  had  a  good  escort  of  about  three  hundred  men, 
including  a  section  of  artillery.  More  than  five 
times  this  escort,  under  the  Mexican  cavalry  general 
Urrea,  ran  upon  the  detachment  at  Seralvo  and  gave 
them  a  hard  battle.  The  Mexican  cavalry  was  badly 
beaten,  and  the  escort  went  on  to  the  Rio  Grande 
without  further  interruption.  General  Taylor  was 
rejoicing  that  he  had  provided  a  sufficient  escort, 
when  he  heard  that  Urrea  had  been  re-enforced,  and 
was  aiming  to  cause  more  trouble  to  trains  and  small 
parties  going  to  and  from  within  his  lines.  The  old 


ENCAMPING   AT    WALNUT    SPRINGS.          293 

general  took  the  field  at  once,  using  May's  dragoons, 
Bragg's  battery,  and  two  regiments  of  volunteers. 
He  speedily  cleared  the  boundaries  of  the  small 
detachments,  driving  the  last  remnants  through  the 
little  town  of  Cadereyta  and  across  the  Sierra  Madre 
range.  Then  he  quietly  and  leisurely  marched  back 
to  Monterey,  and  took  up  his  headquarters  at  Wal 
nut  Springs,  north  of  the  city,  where  they  had  been 
before  and  during  the  battles  in  that  neighbor 
hood. 

Here,  after  sending  out  trusty  commanders  and 
occupying  the  necessary  posts  and  outposts  for  a 
defensive  attitude,  he  rested  for  many  days.  Soon 
his  volunteer  troops  were  further  diminished  by  the 
expiration  of  service,  and  the  general  was  not  in 
condition  again  to  take  up  offensive  movements.  In 
fact,  the  interest  of  military  men  was  already  di 
rected  to  other  fields,  being  transferred  to  Scott's 
now  most  important  line  of  operations  via  Vera 
Cruz  and  the  interior  of  Mexico. 

After  the  hard  labor  of  the  last  six  weeks,  Gen 
eral  Taylor  experienced  a  feeling  of  comfort  when 
he  walked  out  from  his  little  tent,  on  April  28th, 
and  took  a  good  resurvey  of  that  high  plateau, 
already  as  familiar  as  the  home  of  his  youth — the 
springs,  the  small  rivulet  running  therefrom  with  its 
clear  and  abundant  water,  the  now  delicious  climate, 
the  picturesque  views  of  the  hills  and  mountains,  and 
the  charming  little  city  projected  into  the  grand 
background,  with  its  castles,  its  mills,  its  tannery,  its 
citadel,  and  its  checkered  streets.  What  a  different 
feeling  warms  the  commander's  heart  as  he  now 
gazes  upon  all  this,  from  that  on  the  eve  of  battle 
the  morning  of  his  first  arrival,  when  he  stood  in  the 

20 


294 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


same  place  with  his  staff  officers  near  at  hand  and 
tried  to  take  in  only  the  military  features  of  the 
situation  !  Then  came  the  rattle  of  musketry  and 
the  roar  of  cannon  ;  now  it  is  the  hum  of  happy 
voices,  with  a  beautiful  and  quiet  landscape.  "If 
my  wife  and  family  were  only  here,  it  would  not  be 
a  bad  place  to  dwell  in,"  he  said  to  himself. 

Some  one  of  his  friends  who  could  sketch  fairly 
well  has  given  a  drawing  and  description  of  General 
Taylor's  headquarters  at  this  place.  In  the  right- 
hand  front  corner  of  the  picture  appears  about  a 
third  of  his  common  wall  tent;  in  the  other  front 
corner  is  the  trunk  of  a  large  tree,  probably  a  wal 
nut,  with  enough  bushy  branches  included  to  show 
the  grandeur  and  indicate  the  sweetness  of  its  shades 
when  the  hot  days  come.  And  then,  away  back, 
there  are  other  trees  and  shrubs  for  a  finish  to  the 
sketch,  while  among  them,  arid  near  at  hand,  are  the 
fillings-out  of  the  simple  headquarters.  "  Here  are 
barrels,  tubs  made  of  old  barrels,  pails,  tin  dishes, 
and  the  good  old  coffee-pot,  arranged  before  you, 
with  not  a  few  stumps  of  old  trees.  An  odd  place, 
I  assure  you,  is  this  same  kitchen  [the  rearmost  con 
trivance].  It  [the  kitchen]  is  all  outdoors,  for  there 
is  nothing  but  a  rude  roof  made  of  slabs,  with  a 
few  large  rocks  piled  up  beneath  it  on  one  side, 
against  which  the  fire  is  made  to  keep  it  from  being 
utterly  blown  away.  Don't  forget  the  harness  of 
General  Taylor's  traveling-wagon,  upon  one  of  the 
corners  of  the  mess-tent,  part  of  which  you  see  on 
the  right,  with  the  interpreter's  [small]  tent  between 
it  and  the  general's." 

The  soldier  postman  having  brought  him  a  bundle 
of  letters,  official  and  unofficial,  he  went  into  tl  at 


ENCAMPING   AT    WALNUT    SPRINGS.          295 

small  tent  and  pulled  a  camp-stool  to  the  side  of  his 
improvised  table,  and  then  broke  the  seals  first  of 
the  official  envelopes,  and  these  being  disposed  of 
he  examined  the  others.  They  were  letters  from 
different  cities  of  the  United  States,  from  places  far 
asunder;  some  from  stricken  parents,  whose  sons  had 
fallen  near  him  in  battle ;  but  the  most  from  promi 
nent  citizens  who  were  part  and  parcel  of  some 
prominent  political  organization,  and  who  now  were 
striving  to  be  earliest  in  the  political  field  with  the 
brave  general  as  their  leader. 

On  this  day,  April  28,  1847,  after  a  few  minutes 
of  quiet  meditation,  he  caught  up  his  pen  and  wrote 
one  reply.  His  adjutant  was  then  called  and  re 
quested  to  make  and  preserve  a  copy.  This  short 
letter  is  important,  and  is  the  key-note  to  hundreds 
of  others  that  multitudes  of  enthusiastic  friends 
caused  to  be  written  during  the  ensuing  year.  As 
this  copy  indicates  the  nature  of  one  epistle  which 
General  Taylor  that  day  received,  we  will  here  in 
sert  it  in  full  : 

'•  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  OCCUPATION, 
"CAMP  NEAR  MONTEREY,  MEXICO,  April  28,  1847. 
"SiR:  Your  letter  under  date  of  the  i6th  of 
March  has  been  duly  received.  To  the  inquiry  as 
to  whether  I  am  disposed  to  accept  the  nomination 
of  President  of  the  United  States  if  tendered  to  me 
from  the  Native  American  Convention,  I  would  most 
respectfully  reply,  and  with  full  appreciation  of  the 
kind  feeling  which  dictated  the  mention  of  my  name 
in  connection  with  the  dignity  and  honor  of  so  high 
an  office,  that,  even  if  an  aspirant  for  the  presidential 
office  (which  is  not  the  case),  I  could  not,  while  the 


296 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


country  is  involved  in  war,  and  while  my  duty  calls 
me  to  take  part  in  the  operations  against  the  enemy, 
acknowledge  any  ambition  beyond  that  of  bestowing 
all  my  best  exertions  toward  obtaining  an  adjust 
ment  of  our  difficulties  with  Mexico. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  dear  sir,  your  most 
obedient  servant, 

"  Z.  TAYLOR,  Major-General  U.  S.  A." 

General  Taylor  was  what  was  called,  during  the 
political  campaign  to  which  the  foregoing  communi 
cation  refers,  a  "  Henry  Clay  Whig."  Though  not 
a  partisan,  he  had  nevertheless,  upon  all  subjects 
which  he  had  examined,  the  most  decided  convic 
tions.  There  had  been  nothing  connected  with  the 
Mexican  War  to  change  his  political  faith. 

From  April  to  October  editors  of  newspapers, 
secretaries  of  clubs  and  conventions,  well-known 
party  leaders,  governors  of  States,  and  members  of 
Congress  endeavored  to  draw  him  out  and  commit 
him  to  sundry  pledges  and  indorsements  of  distinct 
ive  party  measures.  During  that  period  he  dwelt 
in  the  same  small  tent  and  lived  his  simple,  unpre 
tentious  soldier-life,  and  answered  his  correspond 
ents  with  admirable  dignity  and  reserve.  Over  and 
over  again  he  wrote  such  phrases  and  sentiments  as 
these  :  "  I  have  no  wish  for  the  presidency";  "  I  can 
not  consent  to  be  exclusively  a  party  candidate  "; 
"  I  greatly  doubt  my  qualifications  for  the  office  " ; 
"  If  the  good  people  think  proper  to  elevate  me  at 
the  proper  time  to  the  highest  office  in  their  gift,  I 
will  serve  them  from  a  principle  of  duty";  "  If  I  ever 
occupy  the  White  House,  it  must  be  by  the  spon 
taneous  movement  of  the  people."  He  deprecated 


ENCAMPING  AT   WALNUT   SPRINGS.         297 

and  denounced  self-seeking,  and  preliminary  pledges 
except  to  cling  to  the  Constitution.  He  must  be  un- 
trammeled,  that,  if  President  at  all,  he  might  be 
President  of  the  country  and  not  of  a  party. 

The  extent  of  the  general's  spirit  of  self-abnega 
tion  may  be  inferred  by  the  following.  From  the 
same  place,  June  9,  1847,  in  reply  to  a  letter  from  a 
Louisiana  friend,  he  wrote :  "  As  regards  being  a 
candidate  for  the  presidency  at  the  coming  elec 
tion,  I  have  no  aspirations  in  that  way,  and  regret 
that  the  subject  has  been  agitated  at  this  early  day, 
and  that  it  had  not  been  deferred  till  the  close  of  the 
war.  .  .  .  Very  many  changes  may  take  place  be 
tween  now  and  1848,  so  much  so  as  to  make  it  de 
sirable  for  the  interests  of  the  country  that  some 
other  individual  than  myself,  better  qualified  for  the 
situation,  should  be  selected ;  and  could  he  be  elect 
ed,  I  would  not  only  acquiesce  in  such  an  arrange 
ment,  but  would  rejoice  that  the  republic  had  one 
citizen — and  no  doubt  there  are  thousands  of  them — 
more  deserving  than  I  am,  and  better  qualified  to 
discharge  the  duties  of  the  office." 

The  historian  may  follow  General  Taylor  by  the 
several  successively  published  letters  back  to  the 
Rio  Grande.  On  November  25th,  from  Brazos  Isl 
and,  Texas,  he  gave  to  the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart, 
of  Pennsylvania,  who  wrote  him  and  conveyed  the 
proceedings  of  a  Whig  meeting  held  at  Waynes- 
burg,  of  that  State,  in  his  behalf,  a  brief,  graceful, 
and  fitting  reply.  Herein  he  expresses  "  pride  and 
pleasure  "  for  the  good  tidings  conveyed,  but  reit 
erates  his  unalterable  resolution  to  take  no  partisan 
stand. 

Next   we  find  that  he  has  joined  his  family  at 


298  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Baton  Rouge.  His  public  communications  are,  from 
and  after  December  30,  1847,  from  his  humble  cot 
tage  near  the  fort.  They  are  probably  longer,  be 
ing  more  elaborate  and  more  systematic  in  state 
ment  than  any  that  came  from  the  field. 

Early  in  1848  a  public  meeting  was  held  in  Bal 
timore,  Md.,  Mr.  Mayer,  the  secretary  of  the  meeting, 
sent  to  General  Taylor  a  copy  of  the  preamble  and 
resolutions  passed  by  the  assembly.  The  first,  it  is 
probable,  did  not  reach  its  destination,  so  that  a  du 
plicate  was  forwarded  to  Baton  Rouge.  In  his  re 
joinder  the  general  shows  that  his  Baltimore  friends 
had  reached  his  heart:  "The  political  sentiments 
adopted  at  that  meeting,  I  rejoice  to  say,  meet  with 
my  cordial  approval  and  assent.  No  movements  in 
any  part  of  the  country  having  the  object  to  offer 
testimonials  of  honor  and  respect  toward  myself,  or 
to  advocate  my  election  to  the  presidency,  have 
caused  me  more  lively  pleasure  or  demand  more  of 
my  gratitude." 

They  had  put  this  heroic  character,  this  modest, 
manly  man,  in  nomination,  with  the  distinct  averment 
that  he  should  make  no  promises  of  reward  for  party 
services;  that  he  should  be  bound  by  no  paper  re 
strictions  except  the  law  of  the  land  ;  and  that  it 
should  be  universally  understood  that  he  belonged 
to  the  whole  people.  Unconsciously,  however,  he 
gave  the  strongest  assurance  when  he  said  he  was  a 
"  moderate  Clay  Whig  "  ;  that  he  preferred  Henry 
Clay,  who  was  an  accomplished  statesman,  at  all 
times,  even  up  to  the  time  of  the  National  Conven 
tion,  to  himself.  Of  course  this  drew  taut  enough 
the  slavery  line  ;  this  made  the  principle  of  protection 
more  popular  and  secure ;  this  fixed  forever  the 


HOME   AT    BATON    ROUGE.  299 

right  of  the  General  Government  to  consider  and 
make  "internal  improvements."  It  gave  all  patri 
otic  Whigs  great  vantage-ground. 

General  Taylor  at  first,  after  his  return  to  Baton 
Rouge,  could  with  difficulty  realize  or  conform  to  the 
new  order  of  things.  He  had  little  privacy,  for  men, 
women,  and  children  came  from  near  and  from  far 
to  do  homage  to  the  hero  who  had  gained  so  many 
victories,  and  who  had  already  been  so  long  before 
the  public  in  a  great  war  that  his  name  and  deeds 
had  become  familiar  in  every  intelligent  household 
throughout  the  country ;  and  the  almost  universal 
agitation  of  the  question  of  his  candidacy  for  the 
presidency  of  the  republic  increased  tenfold  the 
desire  of  the  people  to  see  him,  and,  hardly  less,  the 
members  of  his  family.  The  Mississippi  steamers, 
loaded  with  passengers,  were  constantly  passing  by 
his  cottage  up  and  down  the  great  river,  so  that  few 
indeed  were  the  days  when  visitors  were  not  throng 
ing  the  porches  and  seeking  a  look  at  his  sturdy 
face  and  a  shake  of  his  hand,  and  with  their  keen, 
curious  eyes  taking  in  the  surroundings. 

Mrs.  Taylor  for  a  brief  time  seemed  to  have  se 
cured  her  heart's  desire,  when  her  husband  at  last, 
after  those  almost  interminable  battles,  had  actually 
returned  and  joined  herself  and  daughter  in  their 
pretty,  humble  home.  But  she  frankly  told  him  to 
keep  out  of  political  life.  She  would  not  even  agree 
to  his  willingness  to  submit  himself  to  the  will  of  the 
people  regardless  of  party  lines.  Oh,  no  ;  she  thought 
it  was  some  dark  conspiracy  to  carry  them  into  new 
and  untried  ways  of  thinking  and  living,  for  which 
they  had  not  been  fitted  by  education  or  previous 
habits.  Like  other  unambitious  army  women,  she 


300  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

had  been  looking  forward  to  a  happy  period  of  rest 
for  herself  and  husband  after  those  years  of  almost 
unending  change,  exposure,  and  privation  to  which 
she  had  been  subjected  ever  since  she  came  to  him  as 
a  bride.  Here,  now,  not  far  away,  was  the  plantation 
that  filled  his  leisure,  and  gave  to  him  and  to  her 
work  enough  with  agreeable  entertainment.  Here 
was  the  charming  little  cottage,  with  their  beautiful 
daughter,  Mrs.  Bliss,  at  hand  to  give  them  enough 
of  youth  and  freshness.  Here  was  the  little  chapel, 
with  its  welcome  service.  Around  them  and  near 
them  was  the  society  that  they  understood  and  pre 
ferred.  She  did  not  welcome  either  the  excitement 
of  the  political  campaign,  or  the  brilliant  prospects 
at  Washington  which  were  to  come  after  the  election. 
But  she  yielded  to  her  good  husband's  decision ;  for 
was  he  not  already  committed  when  he  penned  his  first 
letter  from  Agua  Nueva  ?  The  will  of  the  people, 
under  God,  as  soon  as  it  should  be  expressed  by  the 
ballot,  was  a  law  to  this  veteran  patriot.  His  coun 
try's  interest  and  honor  had  long  been  dearer  to  him 
than  life.  At  any  rate,  his  noble  wife  finally  gave 
up  her  own  wishes,  and  with  no  substantial  show  of 
opposition  carried  out  his  plans;  but  the  unusual 
scene  presented  itself  to  every  visitor,  and  particu 
larly  to  every  ardent  partisan  who  came  for  favors, 
of  a  household  without  political  enthusiasm  or  seem 
ing  ambition.  It  appeared  as  if,  instead  of  approach 
ing  the  fulfillment  of  grand  hopes  and  joys  without 
limit,  they  were  venturing  into  a  shadowy  and  un 
tried  land,  where  trials  and  duties  were  more  potent 
than  any  anticipated  personal  advantage. 

Even    General  Taylor's  mind,  so   reflective   and 
even-tempered,  seems  to  have  been  touched  by  his 


HOME   AT    BATON    ROUGE. 


301 


good  wife's  forebodings.  These  women-instincts  are 
all  marvelous!  They  often  feel  for  their  beloved 
what  they  can  not  put  into  words.  But  duty  called, 
and  the  members  of  this  family,  while  prepared  for 
any  future,  schooled  themselves  to  obey  the  suc 
cessive  signals. 


CHAPTER   XXL 

POLITICAL    OPINIONS. 

Five  national  parties  in  the  field — The  Oregon  Question  irri 
tates — Tariff — Internal  improvements — Slavery — Mr.  Clay's 
compromises — Taylor  and  his  three  hundred  slaves — Tay 
lor  a  Whig,  but  never  a  partisan — Defines  his  principles  in 
the  Allison  letter — Daniel  Webster's  feeling — Democratic 
Baltimore  Convention  of  1848 — Whig  Philadelphia  Conven 
tion — Taylor  nominated  by  a  large  majority. 

THERE  seemed  to  be  such  a  universal  call,  judg 
ing  only  by  the  letters  and  extracts  from  the  public 
journals  which  General  Taylor  received,  that  for  a 
time  he  felt  that,  if  he  were  a  candidate  for  the  office 
of  President,  he  might  have  what  he  had  coveted 
— that  is  to  say,  men  of  all  parties  supporting  him. 
But  practically,  at  the  close  of  the  Mexican  War, 
there  were  at  least  five  parties  in  the  field,  all  striv 
ing  for  national  recognition. 

First,  the  Democratic  party,  which,  strange  to 
say,  had  greatly  lost  its  popularity  during  its  suc 
cessful  contest  with  Mexico ;  second,  the  Whig 
party,  in  which  the  two  great  orators  and  statesmen, 
Clay  and  Webster,  were  the  acknowledged  leaders ; 
third,  the  Free-Soil  party,  just  then  headed  by  an 
ex-President,  Martin  Van  Buren — a  party  which  was 
mainly  drawn  from  both  of  the  old  organizations, 
and  which  planted  itself  simply  upon  the  ground 


POLITICAL   OPINIONS.  303 

that  all  acquired  territory  should  be  forever  free  ; 
fourth,  the  Liberty  party,  which  was  indeed  the  out- 
and-out  Abolition  party,  advocating  the  immediate 
freeing  of  the  slaves  without  regard  to  other  conse 
quences  ;  and,  fifth,  what  was  known  as  "  the  Ameri 
can  party,"  holding  tenaciously  to  the  idea  that 
native  Americans  should  bear  rule  in  the  United 
States.  So  that  in  the  political  field  there  were  just 
then  a  multitude  of  combatants  and  great  turmoil, 
and,  as  the  names  of  the  parties  indicate,  many  act 
ive  and  disturbing  issues  under  discussion. 

The  Oregon  Question,  as  it  was  termed,  which 
had  been  decided  against  the  claimants,  who  were  in 
favor  of  a  more  northern  boundary  from  the  Rocky 
Mountains  to  the  Pacific  coast  being  actually  estab 
lished  along  the  parallel  of  latitude  54°  40",  was  not 
yet  out  of  mind.  It  had  been  defeated  principally 
through  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Calhoun,  of  South 
Carolina,  and  his  ardent  followers.  The  question  in 
the  books  was  settled,  but  the  shadow  of  its  irrita 
tions  still  remained.  Men  of  all  parties,  on  account 
of  the  surrender  of  territory,  were  crying  out  against 
the  Administration  and  the  Calhoun  partisans. 
"  You,"  they  cried,  "  back  down  before  a  great  power 
like  Britain,  and  accept  the  forty-ninth  parallel  for 
our  boundary,  while  you  push  the  weak  Republic  of 
Mexico  to  extremes,  and  seize  upon  her  domain  ! ' 

The  questions,  also,  of  a  protective  tariff  and  of 
public  improvements  at  the  nation's  expense,  strongly 
advocated  by  Mr.  Clay,  were  then  living  issues.  The 
settlement  of  the  boundary  between  Mexico  and  the 
United  States— in  fact,  the  securement  of  peace 
for  which  Mr.  Polk,  through  a  special  message  and 
consequent  bill,  had  asked  of  Congress  the  appro- 


304  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

priation  of  two  million  dollars  to  be  placed  ex 
clusively  at  his  disposal — had  not  yet  been  fully 
effected.  Out  of  that  had  come  the  celebrated  Wil- 
mot  Proviso  —  the  money  to  be  given,  provided 
slavery  should  never  enter  the  acquired  domain.  The 
dangers  to  our  Union  growing  out  of  the  contro 
versies  between  the  North  and  the  South  seemed 
then  so  imminent,  that  our  ablest  public  men,  in  Con 
gress  and  out,  were  everywhere  propounding  tenta 
tive  measures  which  to  them  seemed  necessary  for  its 
preservation. 

Mr.  Clay's  compromise  clauses  and  amendments, 
that  were  so  long  under  discussion,  and  were  not 
finally  disposed  of  until  after  the  death  of  General 
Taylor,  were  published  in  all  the  dailies  and  weeklies, 
and  everywhere  agitated  the  people.  They  were,  in 
substance  :  To  place  a  line  of  demarkation,  like  that 
secured  through  the  Wilmot  Proviso,  against  the  ex 
tension  of  human  slavery.  This  item  was  tendered 
to  all  Free-Soilers,  and,  in  fact,  to  all  who  were  op 
posed  to  slavery,  secretly  or  openly.  He  also  pro 
posed  the  passage  of  a  stronger  United  States  law  to 
render  more  effectual  the  returning  to  bondage  of 
every  slave  who  should  escape  to  the  free  States 
or  Territories.  This  item  was  the  tender  of  a 
douceur  to  all  men  of  every  stripe  who  held  to  the 
righteousness  of  the  slave  system  and  were  striving 
for  its  perpetuity. 

Great  care  had  long  been  exercised  to  keep  what 
was  called  the  balance  of  power  between  slavery  and 
freedom  ;  there  should  always  be  just  as  many  slave 
States  as  free  States.  This  division  was  secured  and 
long  maintained.  If,  then,  a  free  State  came  into  the 
Union,  a  slave  State  must  enter  at  the  same  time. 


POLITICAL   OPINIONS.  305 

Now  that  our  Western  Territories  were  being  very 
rapidly  settled,  from  various  causes  which  we  need 
not  pause  to  enumerate,  at  every  session  of  Congress 
new  States  were  carved  out  of  the  Territories,  and 
they  were  knocking  at  the  door  of  Congress  for  ad 
mission  into  the  family  of  States.  The  immense 
territory  which  we  had  just  acquired  at  the  end  and 
in  consequence  of  the  Mexican  War,  intensified  in 
activity  these  civil  and  political  agitations  and  oper 
ations. 

As  we  plainly  see,  in  looking  back  over  the  dis 
cussions  of  those  days,  the  political  seas  of  our  fa 
thers  were  unusually  stirred  up.  There  were  cur 
rents  and  counter-currents ;  there  were  gales  and 
strong  waves  which  seemed  to  carry  everything  be 
fore  them.  The  disturbing  influence  in  all  those  tu 
multuous  waters  was  the  slave  question  ;  so  that  it 
was  simply  impossible  for  General  Taylor,  or  any 
other  man,  to  have  smooth  sailing.  Therefore,  how 
ever  wise  he  might  be,  if  he  accepted  a  candidacy,  it 
was  simply  impossible  for  him  to  save  himself  from 
the  turnings,  boiling,  and  eddies  of  the  currents,  or 
from  the  buffeting  of  the  storms. 

With  these  few  words,  simply  suggestive,  upon 
the  then  existing  political  conditions  of  the  country, 
we  can  not  do  better  than  notice  how  General  Tay 
lor  met  the  crisis.  One  letter,  for  example,  was 
written  him  by  a  friend  in  Mississippi,  stating  that  he 
(the  friend)  had  a  large  number  of  slaves,  and  before 
voting  he  desired  to  know  General  Taylor's  views 
with  reference  to  the  slave  question  at  issue,  so  as 
to  determine  whether  or  not  his  slave  property 
would  be  enhanced  or  diminished  in  value  by  his 
election. 


306  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

The  general,  remarkably  like  a  veritable  politi 
cian,  very  quietly  replied  that  he  himself  had  three 
hundred  slaves,  and  he  thought  it  was  not  necessary 
for  him  to  make  any  other  answer  in  reference  to  the 
political  issues  in  question.  But,  being  very  hotly 
pursued,  the  old  general  at  last,  on  April  22,  1848, 
wrote  a  letter  to  Mr.  J.  S.  Allison,  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
which  he  set  forth  distinctly  his  views  upon  some  of 
the  questions  in  controversy — more  so  than  he  had 
done  before ;  and  very  probably  that  letter  gained 
him  many  votes  from  moderate  men  of  all  parties, 
but  lost  him  also  many  more  from  those  who  dis 
trusted  his  sentiments  in  all  things  which  pertained 
to  the  slavery  question,  more  especially  because  he 
himself  lived  in  Louisiana,  was  a  Southern  man,  and 
an  acknowledged  owner  of  slaves.  Here  is  the 
Allison  letter: 

"  My  opinions  have  so  often  been  misconceived 
and  misrepresented,  that  I  deem  it  due  to  myself,  if 
not  to  my  friends,  to  make  a  brief  exposition  of 
them  upon  the  topics  to  which  you  have  called  my 
attention. 

"  I  consented  to  the  use  of  my  name  as  a  candi 
date  for  the  presidency.  I  have  frankly  avowed  my 
own  distrust  of  my  fitness  for  this  high  station ;  but 
having,  at  the  solicitation  of  many  of  my  country 
men,  taken  my  position  as  a  candidate,  I  do  not  feel 
at  liberty  to  surrender  that  position  until  my  friends 
manifest  a  wish  that  I  should  retire  from  it.  I  will 
then  most  gladly  do  so.  I  have  no  private  pur 
pose  to  accomplish,  no  party  projects  to  build  up, 
no  enemies  to  punish — nothing  to  serve  but  my 
country. 

"  I  have  been  very  often  addressed  by  letter,  and 


POLITICAL  OPINIONS.  307 

my  opinions  have  been  asked  upon  almost  every 
question  that  might  occur  to  the  writers  as  affecting 
the  interests  of  their  country  or  their  party.  I  have 
not  always  responded  to  these  inquiries,  for  various 
reasons. 

"  I  confess,  while  I  have  great  cardinal  princi 
ples  which  will  regulate  my  political  life,  I  am  not 
sufficiently  familiar  with  all  the  minute  details  of 
political  legislation  to  give  solemn  pledges  to  exert 
myself  to  carry  out  this  or  to  defeat  that  measure. 
I  have  no  concealment.  I  hold  no  opinion  which  I 
would  not  readily  proclaim  to  my  assembled  country 
men  ;  but  crude  impressions  upon  matters  of  policy, 
which  might  be  right  to-day  and  wrong  to-morrow, 
are  perhaps  not  the  best  tests  for  fitness  for  office. 
One  who  can  not  be  trusted  without  pledges,  can 
not  be  confided  in  merely  on  account  of  them. 

"  I  will  proceed,  however,  now  to  respond  to  your 
inquiries : 

"  First,  I  reiterate  what  I  have  so  often  said — I 
am  a  Whig.  If  elected,  I  would  not  be  the  mere 
President  of  a  party.  I  would  endeavor  to  act  inde 
pendent  of  all  party  domination.  I  should  feel 
bound  to  administer  the  Government  untrammeled 
by  party  schemes. 

"  Second,  the  veto  power.  The  power  given  by 
the  Constitution  to  the  Executive  to  interpose  his 
veto  is  a  high,  conservative  power,  but,  in  my  opin 
ion,  should  never  be  exercised  except  in  cases  of  clear 
violation  of  the  Constitution,  or  manifest  haste  and 
want  of  consideration  by  Congress.  Indeed,  I  have 
thought  for  many  years  past  that  the  known  opin 
ions  and  wishes  of  the  Executive  have  exercised  un 
due  and  injurious  influence  upon  the  legislative  de- 


308 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


partment  of  the  Government;  and  for  this  cause  I 
have  thought  our  system  was  in  danger  of  undergo 
ing  a  great  change  from  its  true  theory.  The  person 
al  opinions  of  the  individual  who  may  happen  to  occupy 
the  Executive  chair  ought  not  to  control  the  action  of  Con 
gress  upon  questions  of  domestic  policy;  nor  ought  his  ob 
jections  to  be  interposed  where  questions  of  constitutional 
power  have  been  settled  by  the  various  departments  of  the 
Government  and  been  acquiesced  in  by  the  people. 

"  Third,  upon  the  subject  of  the  tariff,  the  curen- 
cy,  the  improvement  of  our  great  highways,  rivers, 
lakes,  and  harbors,  the  will  of  the  people,  as  ex 
pressed  through  their  representatives  in  Congress, 
ought  to  be  respected  and  carried  out  by  the  Ex 
ecutive. 

"  Fourth,  the  Mexican  War.  I  sincerely  rejoice 
at  the  prospect  of  peace.  My  life  has  been  devoted 
to  arms,  yet  I  look  upon  war  at  all  times,  and  under 
all  circumstances,  as  a  national  calamity,  to  be 
avoided  if  compatible  with  the  national  honor.  The 
principles  of  our  Government,  as  well  as  its  true 
policy,  are  opposed  to  the  subjugation  of  other  na 
tions  and  the  dismemberment  of  other  countries  by 
conquests.  In  the  language  of  the  great  Washington, 
'Why  should  we  quit  our  own  to  stand  on  foreign 
ground?'  In  the  Mexican  War  our  national  honor 
has  been  vindicated ;  and  in  dictating  terms  of  peace 
we  may  well  afford  to  be  forbearing  and  even  mag 
nanimous,  to  a  fallen  foe. 

"  These  are  my  opinions  upon  the  subjects  re 
ferred  to  by  you,  and  any  reports  or  publications, 
written  or  verbal,  from  any  source,  differing  in  any 
essential  particular  from  what  is  here  written,  are 
unauthorized  and  untrue. 


POLITICAL   OPINIONS.  309 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  shall  again  write  upon  the 
subject  of  national  politics.  I  shall  engage  in  no 
schemes,  no  combinations,  no  intrigues.  If  the 
American  people  have  not  confidence  in  me,  they 
ought  not  to  give  me  their  suffrages.  If  they  do 
not,  you  know  me  well  enough  to  believe  me  when  I 
declare  I  shall  be  content.  I  am  too  old  a  soldier  to 
murmur  against  such  high  authority." 

The  foregoing  letter,  while  it  is  characteristic, 
showing  the  modesty,  the  patriotism,  the  unselfish 
ness,  almost  the  self-distrust  of  a  grand  soul,  never 
theless  is  an  indication  of  positiveness  which  was  not 
to  be  gainsaid. 

Taylor  had  long  contemplated  his  country  as  a 
whole,  and  Henry  Clay  was  his  ideal  of  a  statesman. 
He  had  naturally  imbibed  Mr.  Clay's  sentiments  and 
spirit,  and  would  at  one  time  have  greatly  preferred 
to  see  Mr.  Clay  in  the  presidential  chair  to  any  other 
man,  not  excepting  himself.  Yet,  once  having  given 
his  word,  that  was  enough  for  Zachary  Taylor — his 
word  was  always  equal  to  his  bond — and  so  good 
people,  unless  biased  by  some  extraordinary  political 
affinity  and  hopes,  in  the  end  fully  trusted  him. 

In  this  letter  the  writer  would  emphasize  General 
Taylor's  views  of  war  and  of  conquest.  It  seems  to 
us  now  a  grand  destiny  for  the  United  States  to 
have  mowed  and  harvested  its  full  swath  of  territory 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific ;  but  it  gives  greater 
satisfaction  to  the  philanthropic  mind  to  be  assured 
that  really  nothing  was  taken  from  Mexico  by  con 
quest.  The  additional  territory  came  after  the  war, 
it  is  true,  but  more  by  the  powers  of  negotiation  and 
the  rights  of  purchase  than  from  the  potency  of 
our  arms. 

21 


3io 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


The  high  principles  of  General  Taylor  enunciated 
in  the  Allison  letter  were  not  only  watch-words  in  a 
successful  political  campaign,  but,  like  the  princi 
ples  of  Washington  to  which  Taylor  briefly  and  co 
gently  refers,  they  should  be  treasured,  and  should 
influence  American  patriots  from  generation  to  gen 
eration. 

It  is  said  that  for  a  long  time  there  was  a  cool 
ness  between  General  Taylor  and  Daniel  Webster. 
From  the  best  authority  it  is  learned  that  Webster 
wrote  one  of  his  admirable  letters,  full  of  heartiness 
and  congratulation,  to  General  Taylor  just  after  the 
battle  of  Buena  Vista.  To  this  letter  Mr.  Webster 
for  more  than  a  year  received  no  reply.  Chafing 
somewhat  under  this  apparent  discourtesy,  Webster 
became  cool  toward  our  hero.  Further,  Webster 
naturally  had  his  own  strong  aspirations  to  be  the 
nominee  of  the  "Whig  party."  He  did  not  think 
that  a  soldier  like  Taylor,  however  able  he  might 
be,  would  be  so  well  fitted  for  the  presidency  as 
an  already  recognized  statesman  ;  for  example,  he 
much  preferred  Mr.  Clay,  or  some  other  promi 
nent  Whig  leader,  who  had  during  the  vigor  and 
activity  of  his  manhood  served  in  the  councils  of 
the  nation,  and  made  public  measures  the  study  of 
his  life. 

Under  the  inspiration  of  these  feelings  he  once 
remarked,  in  substance,  that  General  Taylor's  was  a 
nomination  that  ought  not  to  be  made.  Still,  after 
it  was  made  it  should  be  remembered  that  Webster 
engaged  actively  in  the  political  canvass,  supporting 
the  *'  Whig  party,"  and  General  Taylor  as  its  nomi 
nee,  with  all  his  inimitable  eloquence  and  powerful 
influence.  How  warmly  and  actively  after  the  elec- 


POLITICAL   OPINIONS.  3!! 

tion  Mr.  Webster  sustained  Taylor's  administration, 
eventful  as  it  was  even  in  its  brevity,  we  shall  see 
hereafter. 

It  would  be  of  interest  to  trace  the  gradual  con 
solidation  of  influences,  the  separation  and  regather- 
ing  of  the  political  elements  by  small  meetings,  by 
ward  gatherings,  by  county  and  State  conventions, 
by  the  letters  of  statesmen,  by  monthly,  weekly,  and 
daily  publications;  and  it  would  be  of  more  especial 
interest  to  us  to  see  how  the  little  family  at  Baton 
Rouge  worried  on  from  day  to  day  amid  the  extraor 
dinary  publicity  that  these  interests  gave  to  every 
member  of  the  household,  and  to  notice  how  the 
sensitive  mind  of  General  Taylor  was  affected  by 
the  praise  and  blame  borne  in  upon  him  by  every 
breeze  and  from  every  quarter ;  but,  for  the  sake  of 
reasonable  brevity,  we  forbear. 

The  experiences  of  a  political  canvass  in  the 
United  States  are  too  much  alike  to  admit  of  a  de 
tailed  record.  Every  name  made  prominent  for  a 
candidacy  for  high  office  is  for  a  time  subjected  to 
unusual  praise  or  blame.  The  common  phrase  is, 
"it  is  torn  to  shreds."  Accusations  undreamed  of 
are  often  put  forth ;  but  if  the  name  can  bear  the 
pounding  and  the  tearing,  and  pass  through  a  fire 
without  too  much  burning  and  blackening  it  be 
comes  the  stronger  for  the  process.  It  wins  the  ad 
miration,  and  after  the  election — if  elected — that 
name  regains  its  wonted  valuation  or  exceeds  its  old 
ascendency.  There  seems  to  be  a  universal  agree 
ment  thereafter  among  good  citizens  to  quash  every 
indictment  and  withdraw  every  charge  ;  so  that  we 
will  not  follow  General  Taylor  and  those  who  loved 
him,  just  as  we  did  in  the  Mexican  campaign, 


312 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


through  the  curious  conflicts  to  which  his  political 
warfare  subjected  him. 

The  Democratic  National  Convention  of  1848 
met,  in  May,  in  the  city  of  Baltimore.  General 
Lewis  Cass,  of  Michigan,  was  nominated,  on  the 
fourth  ballot,  for  President,  and  William  O.  Butler, 
of  Kentucky,  was  nominated  for  Vice-President. 
Severe  controversies  shook  that  convention  on  ac 
count  of  two  delegations  from  New  York  presenting 
themselves  for  admission,  one  of  which,  leaning 
strongly  to  the  "  Free-Soil  "  movement,  finally  with 
drew,  and  caused  considerable  dissatisfaction ;  and 
this  faction,  in  the  ensuing  election,  induced  its  fol 
lowers  to  give  their  votes  mainly  for  Mr.  Van  Buren 
and  the  Free-Soilers. 

Again,  one  Southern  delegate  introduced  a  resolu 
tion  which  acted  like  a  firebrand  in  the  convention. 
It  was  simply  an  effort  to  nationalize  slavery.  The 
objectionable  resolution  was  rejected  by  a  large  ma 
jority  ;  yet  delegates  from  several  Southern  States 
made  speeches  and  voted  for  it,  and  so  there  was  a 
resultant  division  of  feeling  on  this  account. 

Southern  men  declared:  "Wherever  slavery  ex 
ists  it  is  like  a  powder  magazine,  or  a  series  of  them, 
and  we  politically  demand  complete  protection  against 
the  firebrands  that  abolitionists  and  Free-Soilers  are 
continually  attempting  to  hurl  into  the  explosives." 
We  may  say  that  even  as  early  as  1848  the  Demo 
cratic  party  itself  showed  signs  of  breakage. 

The  WThig  Convention  assembled  a  little  later, 
on  June  7th,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  On  the 
very  first  ballot  General  Taylor  received  in  votes 
for  the  presidency  ;  Henry  Clay,  97  ;  General  Scott, 
43;  Daniel  Webster,  22;  and  there  were  6  scattering 


POLITICAL   OPINIONS. 


313 


votes.  The  fourth  ballot  showed,  for  Taylor,  171, 
against  107  for  the  other  candidates ;  he  was  there 
upon  declared  the  nominee  of  the  party,  and  Millard 
Fillmore,  of  New  York,  was  nominated  for  the  vice- 
presidency.  So  that  Taylor  and  Fillmore  consti 
tuted  the  Whig  ticket  for  the  following  November 
election. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

THE    ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION. 

Receptions  and  public  dinners — The  inaugural  ball — The  address 
as  published — Clear  enunciation  of  principles — The  Cabinet 
— The  household  at  the  White  House — Mrs.  Bettie  Bliss  at  a 
public  gathering — Some  great  names  associated  with  Zachary 
Taylor. 

IN  the  process  of  time  the  election  came.  Horace 
Greeley,  in  his  American  Conflict,  says :  "  General 
Cass  carried  fifteen  States,  choosing  137  electors. 
Mr.  Van  Buren  carried  no  electors,  but  received  a  re 
spectable  support  in  every  free  State,  Rhode  Island 
and  New  Jersey  excepted.  New  York,  Massachu 
setts,  and  Vermont  each  gave  a  larger  popular  vote 
to  him  than  to  General  Cass ;  Wisconsin  gave  him 
nearly  as  many  as  to  General  Taylor.  The  entire 
popular  vote  (South  Carolina  not  casting  any)  stood: 
Taylor  and  Fillmore,  1,360,752  ;  Cass  and  Butler, 
1,219,962;  Van  Buren  and  Adams,  291,342.  Gen 
eral  Taylor  had  a  majority  of  the  electoral  and  a 
plurality  of  the  popular  vote,  both  in  the  free  and 
slave  States,  respectively." 

General  Taylor,  considering  the  character  of  the 
vote  itself,  which  gave  him  a  large  plurality  of  all  the 
votes  of  the  United  States,  became  the  President  not 
simply  of  a  party  but  of  his  country.  It  is  true  that 


THE   ELECTION   AND    INAUGURATION.      315 

every  President  of  the  United  States,  however  elect 
ed,  has  been  rather  the  President  of  the  whole  peo 
ple  than  of  the  party  which  elected  him  ;  but  Gen 
eral  Taylor,  considering  his  Southern  interests,  and 
the  intense  partisan  spirit  of  his  section  existing  at 
that  time,  was  eminently  the  president  of  the  re 
public. 

By  this  election,  then,  Zachary  Taylor  reached 
the  consummation  of  his  wishes,  and  for  a  time  was 
borne  along  steadily  upon  the  popular  wave.  Yet 
the  times  themselves  were  too  turbulent  to  allow 
the  new  President  though  the  choice  of  the  people, 
however  large  the  majority,  to  remain  long  in  the 
quiet  enjoyment  of  the  vantage  he  had  gained.  It 
requires  a  stout  ship  to  withstand  a  rugged  sea. 
There  were  the  usual  scenes  in  Washington  on  March 
4,  1849.  Everything  about  the  Capitol  was  ar 
ranged  in  the  usual  manner.  Portions  of  it  were 
closed  for  the  day,  proper  guards  established  at  the 
outer  gates,  in  the  basement,  and  in  the  hallways, 
with  some  reserve  force  at  hand  ready  for  any  emer 
gency. 

A  field  battery  was  placed  east  of  the  Capitol, 
properly  manned  for  the  salute.  At  ten  o'clock  in 
the  morning  the  sergeant-at-arms  directed  that  all 
the  doors  of  the  Senate  chamber  should  be  opened. 
It  took  but  a  few  moments  after  the  opening  for  the 
throng  of  ladies  to  fill  their  gallery  to  overflowing. 

The  small  space  allotted  to  the  newspaper  men 
was  soon  overfull  ;  and  it  is  not  easy  to  depict  the 
struggling  efforts  of  men  of  all  classes  and  condi 
tions  to  pass  through  the  narrow  doorways  and  so 
find  seats  or  standing-room  in  the  larger  gallery 
receptacle  permitted  to  the  crowd.  Of  course  vast 


316  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

numbers  were  disappointed  and  obliged  to  with 
draw.  These  soon  hastened  out  to  join  the  masses, 
that  could  only  that  day  look  at  the  great  buildings 
and  catch  perhaps  but  one  glimpse  of  the  public  men 
who  were  to  be  actors  in  the  inaugural  scenes. 

Some  little  business  had  been  transacted  by  the 
Senate,  and  a  single  resolution  adopted  without 
division.  After  this,  the  out-going  Vice-President, 
George  M.  Dallas,  and  the  newly  elected,  Millard 
Fillmore,  entered,  arm  in  arm,  the  southern  door,  and 
walked  down  the  aisle,  presenting  themselves  before 
Mr.  Atchison,  who  had  been  temporarily  called  to  the 
chair.  He  administered  the  oath  to  Mr.  Fillmore, 
and  then  gave  place  to  him  on  the  platform  as  the 
new  presiding  officer  of  the  Senate.  At  once,  with 
out  embarrassment,  Mr.  Fillmore  took  his  stand  and 
delivered  an  interesting,  conservative,  and  eloquent 
speech.  The  address,  however,  was  brief.  At  its 
close  came  in,  two  by  two,  the  dignified  justices  of 
the  Supreme  Court  in  their  court  robes,  and  they 
were  followed  by  the  gayly  uniformed  diplomatic 
corps,  between  forty  and  fifty  in  number  if  we  in 
clude  the  several  attaches  who  accompanied  them. 
The  justices  occupied  seats  in  the  area  to  the  left  of 
the  Vice-President,  and  the  foreign  delegations  those 
to  the  right.  Next  came  three  of  the  old  Cabinet — 
James  Buchanan,  Secretary  of  State ;  William  L. 
Marcy,  Secretary  of  War ;  and  Reverdy  Johnson, 
Attorney-General.  They  were  seated  to  the  right 
of  Mr.  Fillmore,  on  the  floor. 

Twelve  o'clock,  the  long-expected  hour,  at  last 
arrived,  but  neither  the  new  nor  the  old  President 
had  yet  made  his  appearance.  The  delay  was  un 
usual,  and  there  was  manifest  uneasiness  and  im- 


THE   ELECTION   AND    INAUGURATION.      317 

patience,  from  Mr.  Fillmore's  desk  to  the  remote 
corners  of  the  galleries.  A  half-hour  which  passed 
seemed  an  age.  What  occasioned  the  delay  was 
not,  however,  explained,  but  probably  arose  from 
the  usual  underestimate  that  public  men  place  upon 
.distances  in  Washington.  A  stranger  seldom  be 
lieves,  before  trial,  that  there  are  two  miles  from 
the  War  Department  or  White  House  to  the  Capitol. 

Judging  by  the  correspondence  and  by  the  state 
ments  in  the  public  press  which  had  been  made  con 
cerning  the  relationship  between  Presidents  Polk 
and  Taylor  from  the  time  he  had  become  a  candi 
date  until  the  date  of  this  inauguration,  these  two 
were  not  very  warm  personal  friends.  They  were 
certainly,  as  everybody  knew,  political  enemies.  But 
at  last  President  Polk,  doubtless  very  weary  with  his 
hard  and  exciting  term  of  office,  was  indeed  glad  to 
see  his  successor  arrive.  He  extended  to  him  a  cor 
dial  greeting,  and  the  two  rode  in  the  same  car 
riage  from  the  President's  house,  along  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  to  the.  Capitol  grounds,  and  then  walked 
arm  in  arm  to  the  Senate  chamber.  It  was  12.30 
p.  M.  when  they  entered  and  took  seats  near  the 
front,  beside  Mr.  Dallas. 

President  Taylor  then  spent  a  few  moments  in 
conversation  with  Justice  McLean  and  the  Chief- 
Justice,  Taney.  This  interview,  doubtless,  was  to 
acquaint  General  Taylor  with  the  part  he  was  to 
play  in  the  further  ceremonies  of  the  morning. 
After  the  usual  preliminary  exercises  the  Senate 
took  a  recess,  and  the  President-elect  led  the  way  to 
the  eastern  portico  of  the  Capitol,  where  the  masses 
of  his  fellow-citizens  had  been  all  the  morning  as 
sembling.  Large  numbers  had  come  in  the  grand 


318  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

procession.  The  military  escort  and  reserve  of  police 
men  were  standing,  as  usual,  near  the  saluting  battery. 

The  crowd  was  estimated  at  upward  of  ten  thou 
sand  people.  At  the  appearance  of  the  old  general, 
who  was  so  familiarly  called  "  Rough  and  Ready," 
cheer  followed  cheer.  The  acclaim  was  magnified 
by  repeated  discharges  of  cannon.  The  venerable 
Chief-Justice  stepped  to  the  front,  and,  facing  Gen 
eral  Taylor,  who  seemed  to  be  absorbed  and  some 
what  abashed  by  his  new  surroundings,  administered 
the  oath  of  office  with  solemnity.  The  new  Presi 
dent,  "pulling  down  his  spectacles,  which  had  here 
tofore  slept  in  his  hair,"  at  once  proceeded  to  read 
from  a  manuscript  his  brief  inaugural  address. 

Of  course  but  a  few  of  the  host  from  the  open 
grounds  below,  being  far  away,  could  do  more  than 
gather  here  and  there  a  sentiment  of  the  address; 
but  the  people  knew  their  man  ;  they  knew  that  he 
would  always  be  true  to  the  interests  of  the  nation  ; 
and  they  enjoyed  looking  at  him  while  he,  in  his 
quiet,  modest  manner,  went  through  the  process  of 
delivery.  As  soon  as  it  was  ended  the  cheering  was 
renewed,  and  the  national  salute  was  fired  from  the 
waiting  battery.  There  seemed  to  be  then  for  the 
new  Administration  and  the  nation  nothing  but  joy 
and  gladness.  The  usual  receptions,  dinners,  and 
gala  assemblages  followed  in  the  evening.  The  new 
President  appeared  for  a  short  time  at  the  inaugural 
ball.  He  went  to  the  theatre,  which  was,  of  course, 
filled  to  repletion,  and  performed  all  the  perfunctory 
and  well-established  duties  which  custom  had  already 
introduced  and  rendered  imperative  on  that  quad 
rennial  occasion.  Perhaps  no  better  insight  can  be 
gained  of  the  hopes,  the  fears,  and  the  patriotic  faith 


THE    ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION.      319 

of  General  Taylor  than  can  be  obtained  from  the 
inaugural  itself,  which  is  remarkable  for  its  simplici 
ty  and  directness.  Our  readers  will  enjoy  the  full 
report  of  it  that  follows : 

"  Elected  by  the  American  people  to  the  highest 
office  known  to  our  laws,  I  appear  here  to  take  the 
oath  prescribed  by  the  Constitution,  and,  in  compli 
ance  with  a  time-honored  custom,  to  address  those 
who  are  now  assembled. 

"  The  confidence  and  respect  shown  by  my  coun 
trymen  in  calling  me  to  be  the  Chief  Magistrate  of 
a  republic  holding  a  high  rank  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth,  have  inspired  me  with  feelings  of  the  most 
profound  gratitude;  but  when  I  reflect  that  the  ac 
ceptance  of  the  office  which  their  partiality  has  be 
stowed  imposes  the  discharge  of  the  most  arduous 
duties,  and  involves  the  weightiest  obligations,  I  am 
conscious  that  the  position  which  I  have  been  called 
to  fill,  though  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  loftiest  ambi 
tion,  is  surrounded  by  fearful  responsibilities.  Hap 
pily,  however,  in  the  performance  of  my  new  duties 
I  shall  not  be  without  able  co-operation. 

"  The  legislative  and  judicial  branches  of  the 
Government  present  prominent  examples  of  distin 
guished  civil  attainments  and  matured  experience; 
and  it  shall  be  my  endeavor  to  call  to  my  assistance  in 
the  executive  departments  individuals  whose  talents, 
integrity,  and  purity  of  character  will  furnish  ample 
guarantees  for  the  faithful  and  honorable  perform 
ance  of  the  trusts  to  be  committed  to  their  charge. 
With  such  aids,  and  an  honest  purpose  to  do  what  is 
right,  I  hope  to  execute  diligently,  impartially,  and 
for  the  best  interests  of  the  country,  the  manifold 
duties  devolved  upon  me. 


320  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

"In  the  discharge  of  these  duties  my  guide  will  be 
the  Constitution,  which  I  this  day  swear  to  preserve, 
protect,  and  defend.  For  the  interpretation  of  that 
instrument  I  shall  look  to  the  decisions  of  the  judi 
cial  tribunals  established  by  this  authority,  and  to 
the  practice  of  the  Government  under  the  earlier 
Presidents,  who  had  so  large  a  share  in  its  forma 
tion. 

"  To  the  example  of  those  illustrious  patriots  I 
shall  always  defer  with  reverence,  and  especially  to 
his  example  who  was,  by  so  many  titles,  the  Father 
of  his  Country. 

"  To  command  the  army  and  navy  of  the  United 
States;  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate, 
to  make  treaties,  and  to  appoint  embassadors  and 
other  officers;  to  give  to  Congress  information  of 
the  state  of  the  Union,  and  recommend  such  meas 
ures  as  it  shall  judge  to  be  necessary;  and  to  take 
care  that  the  laws  shall  be  faithfully  executed — these 
are  the  most  important  functions  intrusted  to  the 
President  by  the  Constitution ;  and  it  may  be  ex 
pected  that  I  shall  briefly  indicate  the  principles 
which  will  control  me  in  their  execution. 

"Chosen  by  the  body  of  fhe  people,  under  the 
assurance  that  my  administration  would  be  devoted 
to  the  welfare  of  the  whole  country,  and  not  to  the 
support  of  any  particular  section  or  merely  local  in 
terest,  I  this  day  renew  the  declarations  I  have  here 
tofore  made,  and  proclaim  my  fixed  determination  to 
maintain,  to  the  extent  of  my  ability,  the  Govern 
ment  in  its  original  purity,  and  to  adopt,  as  the  basis 
of  my  public  policy,  those  great  republican  doc 
trines  which  constitute  the  strength  of  our  national 
existence. 


THE    ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION.      321 

"  In  reference  to  the  army  and  navy,  lately  em 
ployed  with  so  much  distinction  in  active  service, 
care  shall  be  taken  to  insure  the  highest  condition 
of  efficiency;  and  in  furtherance  of  that  object,  the 
military  and  naval  schools,  sustained  by  the  liberality 
of  Congress,  shall  receive  the  especial  attention  of 
the  Executive. 

"  As  American  freemen  we  can  not  but  sympa 
thize  in  all  efforts  to  extend  the  blessings  of  political 
and  civil  liberty  ;  but  at  the  same  time  we  are  warned 
by  the  admonitions  of  history  and  the  voice  of  our 
own  beloved  Washington,  to  abstain  from  entangling 
alliances  with  foreign  nations.  In  all  disputes  be 
tween  conflicting  Governments  it  is  our  interest,  not 
less  than  our  duty,  to  remain  strictly  neutral ;  while 
our  geographical  position,  the  genius  of  our  insti 
tutions  and  our  people,  the  advancing  spirit  of  civili 
zation,  and,  above  all,  the  dictates  of  religion,  direct 
us  to  the  cultivation  of  peaceful  and  friendly  relations 
with  all  other  powers. 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  no  international  questions 
can  now  arise  which  a  government,  confident  in  its 
own  strength,  and  resolved  to  protect  its  own  just 
rights,  may  not  settle  by  wise  negotiation  ;  and  it 
eminently  becomes  a  government  like  our  own, 
founded  on  the  morality  and  intelligence  of  its  citi 
zens,  and  upheld  by  their  affections,  to  exhaust  every 
resort  of  honorable  diplomacy,  before  appealing  to 
arms. 

"  In  the  conduct  of  our  foreign  relations  I  shall 
conform  to  these  views,  as  I  believe  them  essential 
to  the  best  interests  and  the  true  honor  of  the 
country. 

"  The  appointing  power  vested  in  the  President 


322  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

imposes  delicate  and  honorable  duties.  So  far  as  it 
is  possible  to  be  informed,  I  shall  make  honesty, 
capacity,  and  fidelity  indispensable  prerequisites  to 
the  bestowal  of  office ;  and  absence  of  either  of 
these  qualities  shall  be  deemed  sufficient  cause  for 
removal. 

"  It  shall  be  my  duty  to  recommend  such  constitu 
tional  measures  to  Congress  as  may  be  necessary  and 
proper  to  secure  encouragement  and  protection  to 
the  great  interests  of  agriculture,  commerce,  and 
manufactures;  to  improve  our  rivers  and  harbors;  to 
provide  for  the  speedy  extinguishment  of  the  public 
debt ;  to  enforce  a  strict  accountability  on  the  part 
of  all  officers  of  the  Government,  and  the  utmost 
economy  in  all  public  expenditures;  but  it  is  for  the 
wisdom  of  Congress  itself,  in  which  all  legislative 
powers  are  vested,  by  their  consent  to  regulate  these 
and  other  matters  of  domestic  policy. 

"  I  shall  look  with  confidence  to  the  enlightened 
patriotism  of  that  body  to  adopt  such  measures  of 
conciliation  as  may  harmonize  conflicting  interests 
and  tend  to  perpetuate  that  union  which  should  be 
the  paramount  object  of  our  hopes  and  affections. 
In  any  action  calculated  to  promote  an  object  so  near 
the  heart  of  every  one  who  truly  loves  his  country,  I 
will  zealously  unite  with  the  co-ordinate  branches  of 
Government. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  congratulate  you,  my  fellow- 
citizens,  upon  the  high  state  of  prosperity  to  which 
the  goodness  of  divine  Providence  has  conducted 
our  common  country.  Let  us  invoke  a  continuance 
of  the  same  protecting  care  which  has  led  us  from 
small  beginnings  to  the  eminence  we  this  day  oc 
cupy ;  and  let  us  seek  to  deserve  that  continuance  by 


THE    ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION.      323 

prudence  and  moderation  in  our  councils,  by  well- 
directed  attempts  to  assuage  the  bitterness  which  too 
often  makes  unavoidable  differences  of  opinions, 
by  the  promulgation  and  practice  of  just  and  liberal 
principles,  and  by  an  enlarged  patriotism  which  shall 
acknowledge  no  limits  but  those  of  our  own  wide 
spread  republic." 

With  his  usual  promptitude  he  selected  the  new 
Cabinet:  For  Secretary  of  State,  John  M.  Clayton,  of 
Delaware;  for  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  William  M. 
Meredith,  of  Pennsylvania ;  for  Secretary  of  War, 
George  W.  Crawford,  of  Georgia;  f  or  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  William  B.  Preston,  of  Virginia ;  for  Secretary 
of  the  Interior,  Thomas  Ewing,  of  Ohio  ;  for  Post 
master-General,  Jacob  Collamer,  of  Vermont ;  all  of 
whom  were  promptly  confirmed  by  the  Senate  with 
out  objection. 

As  usual  after  the  4th  of  March,  the  inhabitants 
of  the  White  House  were  speedily  changed.  During 
Mr.  Polk's  administration  everything  had  combined 
to  make  social  life  at  the  President's  mansion — and, 
in  fact,  at  the  capital  itself — of  a  serious  character. 
First  there  was  a  preparation  for  a  long  war  with 
Mexico  ;  then  the  actual  war,  with  all  the  heavy  re 
sponsibilities  always  at  such  times  necessarily  de 
volving  upon  the  Executive.  There  were  already 
strained  relations  between  the  North  and  the  South, 
and  constant  forebodings  of  some  great  political  and 
social  upheaval.  The  President's  wife,  Mrs.  Polk, 
was  of  a  domestic  turn,  and  a  woman  of  refinement 
and  piety.  In  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  people  said  she  was  "grave  and  formal." 
Certainly  he  and  she  alike  were  of  a  serious  natural 
disposition ;  and  the  times  themselves,  a  little  out  of 


324 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


joint,  gave  an  extraordinary  somber  hue  to  our  Presi 
dent's  habitation. 

But  now  the  war  was  successfully  over.  The 
conservative  Whig  party,  then  eminently  the  Union 
party  of  the  nation,  had  had  a  large  popular  victory. 
General  Taylor,  though  retiring,  had  always  a  cheer 
ful  manner,  and  ever  made  those  around  him,  as  far 
as  he  could,  contented  and  sunshiny.  His  good  wife, 
surely  his  true  friend,  did  not  like  the  new  order  of 
things,  and  seemed  bound  to  carry  out  her  predic 
tions  that  city  life  would  never  agree  with  her  or  the 
family.  Yet  the  general  had  that  beautiful  daughter, 
Mrs.  "  Bettie  "  Bliss,  only  twenty-two  years  of  age, 
and  her  accomplished  husband,  Brevet-Lieutenant- 
Colonel  William  W.  S.  Bliss,  who  had  long  been  his 
close  friend  and  confidential  adviser  and  adjutant. 

Of  course  youth  and  beauty,  inspired  by  the 
bright  changes  in  the  whole  country,  came  from  near 
and  far  and  clustered  around  these  noble  representa 
tives  of  our  American  life.  Mrs.  Bliss  was  particu 
larly  charming  and  popular.  Her  intelligence  was 
equal  to  her  grace,  and  in  a  few  days  after  her  en 
trance  to  the  White  House  it  was  admitted  that  no 
princess  could  do  the  honors  of  a  palace  better  than 
she;  for  her  mother  insisted  on  keeping  in  the  back 
ground,  where  she,  in  comparative  retirement,  en 
deavored  to  make  the  most  of  what  she  hardly  en 
joyed.  Doubtless,  however,  she  was  still  proud  of 
her  good  husband,  though  he  had  left  the  army 
against  her  wishes,  and  glad  that  her  daughter  had 
so  much  genuine  independence,  energy,  and  pluck, 
and  was  becoming  properly  appreciated  in  every 
quarter. 

Mrs.  Holloway,  in  her  Ladies  of  the  White  House, 


THE   ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION. 


325 


gives  this  picture  of  Mrs.  Bliss  at  a  large  public 
gathering.  After  describing  a  throng  of  ladies  in 
costly  attire,  she  says :  "  Then  behind  these  came 
Mrs.  Bliss,  plainly  dressed  in  white,  a  simple  flower 
in  her  hair,  timid  and  faltering,  yet  with  an  expres 
sion  in  her  eye  that  showed  she  was  Zachary  Tay 
lor's  favorite  child.  The  expectations  of  the  vast 
crowd  were  for  the  moment  realized ;  then  followed 
expressions  of  enthusiasm  that  were  overwhelming." 
There  is  always  in  the  social  life  in  and  around 
the  White  House  a  commingling  of  public  men — men 
who  influence  their  age,  and  who,  with  their  families, 
modify,  if  they  do  not  regulate,  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  capital.  Henry  Clay  was  still  there, 
though  seventy-three  years  of  age,  recently  re- 
elected  to  the  Senate.  General  Cass,  with  his  sturdy 
manners,  represented  the  Northwest ;  he  had  en 
ergy  and  enterprise  in  his  composition.  Webster, 
the  New  England  orator,  upon  whose  face  no  man 
could  look  without  feeling  impressed  with  the 
grandeur  of  the  man,  was  now  more  than  ever  co 
operating  with  Clay  in  compromise  measures,  and 
rivaled  him  in  being  the  observed  of  all  observers. 
Thomas  H.  Benton,  stanch  for  the  Union,  was 
a  tower  of  strength  among  his  Southern  con- 
frtres.  Calhoun  was  growing  weaker,  and  his  frame 
more  and  more  feeble ;  still,  he  kept  his  seat  in  the 
Senate,  and  influenced  the  State-supremacy  measures 
more  than  any  other.  Some  young  men  were  com 
ing  in.  The  President's  son-in-law,  Colonel  Jeffer 
son  Davis,  whom  we  have  met  before  on  the  battle 
fields  of  Mexico,  following  the  doctrines  of  Cal 
houn,  was  soon  to  be  a  leader  in  the  errant  path 
ways  of  that  statesman. 


326  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

Stephen  A.  Douglass,  the  rival  of  Lincoln,  the 
stout  young  Democrat  from  Illinois,  had  just  ap 
peared  in  Congress.  We  find  here  also  at  the  capi 
tal,  mingling  actively  in  society,  another  fine  figure, 
a  man  who  was  almost  perfect  in  his  abundant  and 
eloquent  utterances — William  H.  Seward,  of  New 
York.  Thomas  Corwin  and  S.  P.  Chase  were  just 
emerging  from  Ohio  politics  and  taking  their  stand 
at  the  capital  as  national  men.  Here  were  also 
found  John  Bell,  Nathan  Clifford,  and  Hannibal 
Hamlin,  whose  names  were  familiar  to  all  men  of 
the  last  generation.  The  hearty  John  P.  Hale,  the 
remarkable  "  Free-Soiler  "  from  New  Hampshire,  and 
James  M.  Mason,  his  diametric  opposite  in  politics, 
from  Virginia,  were  together  in  the  Senate.  Here 
were  found  the  "Fire-eaters,"  as  they  were  called — 
those  who  were  openly  advocating  secession  unless 
their  own  interpretation  of  the  Constitution  should 
obtain  ;  abolitionists  who  believed  that  the  Consti 
tution  had  better  be  broken  into  fragments  rather 
than  that  slavery  should  continue;  Free-Soilers,  who 
at  a  later  day  laid  the  foundation  of  the  great  Re 
publican  party,  of  which  Lincoln  was  at  last  the 
acknowledged  head;  the  Whigs,  who  as  yet,  North 
and  South,  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  for  the  Ameri 
can  Union ;  and  also  the  devoted  and  characteristic 
representatives  of  the  old  Democratic  party,  who 
thus  far,  like  Andrew  Jackson,  opposed  themselves 
vigorously  to  all  ideas  of  nullification  or  incipient 
secession. 

Mr.  Elaine  says,  in  his  Twenty  Years  of  Congress  : 
"At  no  time,  before  or  since,  in  the  history  of  the 
Senate,  had  its  membership  been  so  illustrious,  its 
weight  of  character  and  ability  so  great.  .  .  .  The 


THE    ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION. 


327 


period  marked  the  meeting  and  dividing  line  between 
two  generations  of  statesmen.  The  eminent  men 
who  had  succeeded  the  leaders  of  the  Revolutionary 
era  were  passing  away,  but  the  most  brilliant  of  their 
members  were  still  lingering,  unabated  in  natural 
force,  resplendent  in  personal  fame.  Their  succes 
sors,  if  not  their  equals  in  public  regard  and  confi 
dence,  were  already  upon  the  stage  preparing  for 
and  destined  to  act  in  the  bloodiest  and  most  mem 
orable  of  civil  struggles." 

From  the  above  picture  it  will  be  easily  seen  that 
a  family  should  have  no  ordinary  ability  and  energy, 
if  not  experience,  to  hold  its  own  at  such  a  period  in 
Washington  life ;  and  still  stronger  would  it  have  to 
be  in  every  proper  requirement  to  take  the  lead  and 
maintain  itself  on  the  advanced  line  where  social 
life  was  so  closely  allied  as  it  then  was  to  the  po 
litical.  It  requires  but  little  imagination  to  under 
stand  some  of  the  discouragements  and  apprehen 
sions  of  General  Taylor's  household  at  this  time. 
Southern  men  who  had  sustained  him  strongly  were 
dissatisfied  with  him  because  he  was  too  national  in 
his  views.  Northern  partisans  who  had  sustained 
him  were  dissatisfied  because  he  did  not  go  far 
enough  for  them — was  not  sufficiently  pronounced 
against  the  extension  of  slavery  ;  and,  indeed,  it  was 
not  long  before  he  began  to  realize  that  his  wife's 
instincts  in  their  forebodings  had  merely  trumped  up 
the  future.  '  He  decided,  however,  publicly  and  pri 
vately,  like  a  man  ;  he  encountered  ridicule,  contemptr 
uous  speeches,  hurtful  innuendoes  in  the  press,  and 
unkind  remarks  that  came  to  his  ears,  and  these  af 
fected  the  old  man's  daily  life  not  a  little,  yet  he 
diligently  observed  what  was  going  on  far  and  near. 


328  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

He  kept  before  him  the  secret  plotters  and  their 
plottings.  He  knew  who  were  organizing  to  strike, 
as  in  the  days  of  Jackson,  fatal  blows  against  the 
republic,  and  with  set  teeth  and  firm  voice  he  said: 
"  I  will  put  them  down !  Yes,  I  can  do  it  with 
Southern  volunteers  !  " 

The  first  summer  passed  with  a  storm  here  and 
there,  with  some  murmurings  like  those  of  approach 
ing  thunder-claps  and  the  rumblings  of  earthquakes, 
but  there  was  no  actual  breach  of  the  peace  in  any 
direction  during  that  period.  When  Congress 
came  together  in  December,  Taylor's  message  was 
on  the  right  side — the  side  of  the  Constitution 
and  the  Union.  Mr.  Elaine  writes  that  that  message 
"  proved  a  tower  of  strength  to  the  friends  of  the 
Union,  and  a  heavy  blow  to  the  secession  element 
which  was  rampant  in  Congress."  A  few  extracts 
from  this  timely  message  will  be  in  place,  to  exhibit 
the  character  and  principles  of  Zachary  Taylor  : 

"  Sixty  years  have  elapsed  since  the  establish 
ment  of  this  Government,  and  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  again  assembles  to  legislate  for  an  em 
pire  of  freemen.  The  predictions  of  evil  prophets, 
who  formerly  pretended  to  foretell  the  downfall  of 
our  institutions,  are  remembered  only  to  be  de 
rided,  and  the  United  States  of  America  at  this  mo 
ment  present  to  the  world  the  most  stable  and  per 
manent  government  on  earth. 

*'  Such  is  the  result  of  the  labors  of  those  who 
have  gone  before  us.  Upon  Congress  will  eminent 
ly  depend  the  future  maintenance  of  our  system  of 
free  government,  and  the  transmission  of  it  unim 
paired  to  posterity. 

"  We  are  at  peace  with  all   the  other  nations  of 


THE   ELECTION   AND   INAUGURATION. 


329 


the  world,  and  seek  to  maintain  our  cherished  re 
lations  of  amity  with  them.  During  the  past  year 
we  have  been  blessed  by  a  kind  Providence  with  an 
abundance  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth  ;  and  although 
the  destroying  angel  for  a  time  visited  extensive 
portions  of  our  territory  with  the  ravages  of  a  dread 
ful  pestilence,  yet  the  Almighty  has  deigned  to  stay 
his  hand  and  to  restore  the  inestimable  blessings  of 
general  health  to  a  people  who  have  acknowledged 
his  power,  deprecated  his  wrath,  and  implored  his 
merciful  protection. 

"While  enjoying  the  benefits  of  amicable  inter 
course  with  foreign  nations,  we  have  not  been  insen 
sible  to  the  distractions  and  wars  which  have  pre 
vailed  in  other  quarters  of  the  world.  It  is  a  proper 
theme  of  thanksgiving  to  Him  who  rules  the  desti 
nies  of  nations,  that  we  have  been  able  to  maintain 
amid  all  these  contests  an  independent  and  neutral 
position  toward  all  belligerent  powers.  .  .  .  With 
the  Republic  of  Mexico  it  is  our  true  policy  to  culti 
vate  the  most  friendly  relations.  Since  the  ratifica 
tion  of  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  nothing 
has  occurred  of  a  serious  character  to  disturb  them. 
A  faithful  observance  of  the  treaty,  and  a  sincere  re 
spect  for  her  rights,  can  not  fail  to  secure  the  lasting 
confidence  and  friendship  of  that  republic.  .  .  .  The 
commissioner  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  for 
marking  the  boundary  between  the  two  republics, 
though  delayed  in  reaching  San  Diego  by  unforeseen 
obstacles,  arrived  at  that  place  within  a  short  period 
after  the  time  required  by  the  treaty,  and  was  there 
joined  by  the  commissioner  on  the  part  of  Mexico. 
They  entered  upon  their  duties,  and  at  the  date  of 
the  latest  intelligence  from  that  quarter  some  prog- 


330 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


ress  had  been  made  in  the  survey.  .  .  .  In  the  adjust 
ment  of  the  claims  of  American  citizens  on  Mexico, 
provided  for  by  the  late  treaty,  the  employment  of 
counsel  on  the  part  of  the  Government  may  become 
important  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  the  commis 
sioners  in  protecting  the  interests  of  the  United 
States.  I  recommend  the  subject  to  the  early  and 
favorable  consideration  of  Congress.  .  .  .  The  ex 
tension  of  the  coast  of  the  United  States  on  the 
Pacific,  and  the  unexampled  rapidity  with  which  the 
inhabitants  of  California  especially  are  increasing 
in  numbers,  have  imparted  new  consequence  to  our 
relations  with  the  other  countries  whose  territories 
border  upon  that  ocean.  It  is  probable  that  the  in 
tercourse  between  those  countries  and  our  posses 
sions  in  that  quarter,  particularly  with  the  Republic 
of  Chili,  will  become  extensive  and  mutually  advan 
tageous  in  proportion  as  California  and  Oregon 
shall  increase  in  population  and  wealth.  It  is  de 
sirable,  therefore,  that  this  Government  should  do 
everything  in  its  power  to  foster  and  strengthen  its 
relations  with  those  states,  and  that  the  spirit  of 
amity  between  us  should  be  mutual  and  cordial. 

"  I  recommend  the  observance  of  the  same  course 
toward  all  other  American  states.  The  United 
States  stands  as  the  great  American  power,  to  which, 
as  their  natural  ally  and  friend,  they  will  always  be 
disposed  first  to  look  for  mediation  and  assistance 
in  the  event  of  any  collision  between  them  and  any 
European  nation.  As  such,  we  may  often  kindly 
mediate  in  their  behalf,  without  entangling  our 
selves  in  foreign  wars  or  unnecessary  controversies. 
Whenever  the  faith  of  our  treaties  with  any  of  them 
shall  require  our  interference,  we  must  necessarily 


THE   ELECTION   AND   INAUGURATION.      331 

interpose.  .  .  .  Your  attention  is   earnestly    invited 
to  an  amendment  of  our  existing  laws  relating  to 
the  African  slave  trade,  with  a  view  to  the  effectual 
suppression  of  that  barbarous  traffic.     It  is  not  to 
be  denied  that   this  trade  is  still  in  part  carried  on 
by  means  of  vessels  built  in  the  United  States  and 
owned  or  navigated  by  some  of  our  citizens.     The 
correspondence  between  the  Department   of   State 
and  the  minister  and  consul  of  the  United  States  at 
Rio   de  Janeiro,  which  has  from  time  to  time  been 
laid  before  Congress,  represents  that  it  is  a  custom 
ary  device  to  evade  the  penalties  of  our  laws  by 
means  of  sea-letters.     Vessels  sold  in  Brazil,  when 
provided  with  such  papers  by  the  consul,  instead  of 
returning  to  the  United  States  for  a  new  register, 
proceed   at  once  to  the  coast  of  Africa  for  the  pur 
pose  of  obtaining  cargoes  of  slaves.     Much   addi 
tional  information  of  the  same  character  has  recently 
been   transmitted  to  the  Department  of  State.     It 
has  not  been  considered  the  policy  of  our  laws  to 
subject  an  American  citizen,  who  in  a  foreign  coun 
try  purchases  a  vessel  built  in  the  United  States,  to 
the  inconvenience  of  sending  her  home  for  a  new 
register  before  permitting  her  to  proceed  on  a  voy 
age.     Any  alteration  of  the  laws  which  might  have  a 
tendency  to  impede  the  free  transfer  of  property  in 
vessels  between  our  citizens,  or  the  free  navigation 
of  those  vessels  between  different  parts  of  the  world, 
when  employed  in  lawful  commerce,  should  be  well 
and   cautiously   considered  ;  but    I    trust   that    your 
wisdom  will  devise  a  method  by  which  our  general 
policy  in  this  respect  may  be  preserved,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  abuse  of  our  flag  by  means  of  sea-let 
ters  in  the  manner  indicated  may  be  prevented.  .  .  . 


332 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


A  contract  having  been  concluded  with  the  state  of 
Nicaragua  by  a  company  composed  of  American 
citizens,  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  a  ship  canal 
through  the  territory  of  that  state,  to  connect  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans,  I  have  directed  the  ne 
gotiation  of  a  treaty  with  Nicaragua,  pledging  both 
Governments  to  protect  those  who  shall  engage  in 
and  perfect  the  work.  All  other  nations  are  invited 
by  the  state  of  Nicaragua  to  enter  into  the  same 
treaty  stipulations  with  her;  and  the  benefit  to  be 
derived  by  each  from  such  an  arrangement  will  be 
the  protection  of  this  great  interoceanic  communica 
tion  against  any  power  which  might  seek  to  obstruct 
it  or  to  monopolize  its  advantages.  All  states  enter 
ing  into  such  a  treaty  will  enjoy  the  right  of  passage 
through  the  canal  on  payment  of  the  same  tolls. 

"  The  work,  if  constructed  under  these  guaran 
tees,  will  become  a  bond  of  peace  instead  of  a  sub 
ject  of  contention  and  strife  between  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  Should  the  great  maritime  states  of  Eu 
rope  consent  to  this  arrangement  (and  we  have  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  a  proposition  so  reasonable 
and  honorable  will  be  opposed  by  any),  the  energies 
of  their  people  and  ours  will  co-operate  in  promot 
ing  the  success  of  the  enterprise.  I  do  not  recom 
mend  any  appropriation  from  the  national  Treasury 
for  this  enterprise,  nor  do  I  believe  that  such  an 
appropriation  is  necessary.  Private  enterprise,  if 
properly  protected,  will  complete  the  work  should 
it  prove  to  be  feasible.  The  parties  who  have  pro 
cured  the  charter  from  Nicaragua  for  its  construc 
tion  desire  no  assistance  from  this  Government  be 
yond  its  protection ;  and  they  profess  that,  having 
examined  the  proposed  line  of  communication,  they 


THE   ELECTION   AND   INAUGURATION.      333 

will  be  ready  to  commence  the  undertaking  when 
ever  that  protection  shall  be  extended  to  them. 
Should  there  appear  to  be  reason,  on  examining  the 
whole  evidence,  to  entertain  a  serious  doubt  of  the 
practicability  of  constructing  such  a  canal,  that 
doubt  could  be  speedily  solved  by  an  actual  explora 
tion  of  the  route. 

"  Should  such  a  work  be  constructed,  under  the 
common  protection  of  all  nations,  for  equal  benefits 
to  all,  it  would  be  neither  just  nor  expedient  that 
any  great  maritime  state  should  command  the  com 
munication.  The  territory  through  which  the  canal 
may  be  opened  ought  to  be  freed  from  the  claims  of 
any  foreign  power.  No  such  power  should  occupy  a 
position  that  would  enable  it  hereafter  to  exercise  so 
controlling  an  influence  over  the  commerce  of  the 
world,  or  to  obstruct  a  highway  which  ought  to  be 
dedicated  to  the  common  use  of  mankind.  .  .  .  We 
have  reason  to  hope  that  the  proposed  railroad 
across  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  will  be  successfully 
constructed,  under  the  protection  of  the  treaty  with 
New  Granada,  ratified  and  exchanged  by  my  prede 
cessor  on  the  loth  day  of  June,  1848,  which  guaran 
tees  the  perfect  neutrality  of  the  Isthmus,  and  the 
rights  of  sovereignty  and  property  of  New  Granada 
over  that  territory,  "  with  a  view  that  the  free  trans 
it  from  ocean  to  ocean  may  not  be  interrupted  or 
embarrassed  "  during  the  existence  of  the  treaty.  It 
is  our  policy  to  encourage  every  practicable  route 
across  the  Isthmus  which  connects  North  and  South 
America,  either  by  railroad  or  canal,  which  the  en 
ergy  and  enterprise  of  our  citizens,  may  induce  them 
to  complete  ;  and  I  consider  it  obligatory  upon  me 
to  adopt  that  policy,  especially  in  consequence  of 


334 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


the   absolute    necessity   of    facilitating    intercourse 
with  our  possessions  on  the  Pacific. 

"  The  position  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  with  ref 
erence  to  the  territory  of  the  United  States  on  the 
Pacific,  the  success  of  our  persevering  and  benevo 
lent  citizens  who  have  repaired  to  that  remote 
quarter  in  Christianizing  the  natives  and  inducing 
them  to  adopt  a  system  of  government  and  laws 
suited  to  their  capacity  and  wants,  and  the  use  made 
by  our  numerous  whale-ships  of  the  harbors  of  the 
islands  as  places  of  resort  for  obtaining  refresh 
ments  and  repairs,  all  combine  to  render  their  des 
tiny  peculiarly  interesting  io  us.  It  is  our  duty  to 
encourage  the  authorities  of  those  islands  in  their 
efforts  to  improve  and  elevate  the  moral  and  politi 
cal  condition  of  the  inhabitants;  and  we  should 
make  reasonable  allowances  for  the  difficulties  in 
separable  from  this  task.  We  desire  that  the  isl 
ands  may  maintain  their  independence,  and  that 
other  nations  should  concur  with  us  in  this  senti 
ment.  We  could  in  no  event  be  indifferent  to  their 
passing  under  the  dominion  of  any  other  power. 
The  principal  commercial  states  have  in  this  a  com 
mon  interest,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  no  one  of 
them  will  attempt  to  interpose  obstacles  to  the  en 
tire  independence  of  the  islands.  ...  I  recommend 
a  revision  of  the  existing  tariff,  and  its  adjustment 
on  a  basis  which  may  augment  the  revenue.  I  do 
not  doubt  the  right  or  duty  of  Congress  to  encour 
age  domestic  industry,  which  is  the  great  source  of 
national  as  well  as  individual  prosperity.  I  look  to 
the  wisdom  and  patriotism  of  Congress  for  the  adop 
tion  of  a  system  which  may  place  home  labor  at  last 
on  a  sure  and  permanent  footing,  and,  by  due  en- 


THE    ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION.      335 

couragement   of   manufactures,   give   a  new  and  in 
creased   stimulus   to    agriculture,   and    promote    the 
development  of  our  vast  resources  and  the  exten 
sion  of  our  commerce.     Believing  that  to  the  attain 
ment  of  these  ends  (as  well  as  the  necessary  aug 
mentation    of    the    revenue    and    the    prevention   of 
frauds)  a  system  of  specific  duties  is  best  adapted,  I 
strongly  recommend  to   Congress   the   adoption   of 
that  system,  fixing  the  duties  at  rates  high  enough 
to  afford  substantial  and  sufficient  encouragement  to 
our  own  industry,  and  at  the  same  time  so  adjusted 
as  to  insure  stability.  ...  No  civil  government  hav 
ing  been  provided  for  California,  the  people  of  that 
Territory,  impelled  by  the  necessities  of  their  politi 
cal  condition,  recently   met    in    convention    for  the 
purpose   of  forming  a  constitution  and  state   gov 
ernment,  which  the  latest  advices  give  me  reason  to 
suppose  has  been   accomplished ;  and  it  is  believed 
that   they    will    shortly  apply  for  the  admission  of 
California    into    the    Union    as    a    sovereign    State. 
Should  such  be  the  case,  and  should  their  constitu 
tion   be   conformable    to    the    requisitions   of    the 
Constitution   of   the    United    States,    I    recommend 
their  application  to  the  favorable  consideration  of 
Congress. 

"  The  people  of  New  Mexico  will  also,  it  is  be 
lieved,  at  no  very  distant  period  present  themselves 
for  admission  into  the  Union.  Preparatory  to  the 
admission  of  California  and  New  Mexico,  the  peo 
ple  of  each  will  have  instituted  for  themselves  a  re 
publican  form  of  government,  laying  its  foundations 
in  such  principles,  and  organizing  its  powers  in  such 
form,  as  to  them  shall  seem  most  likely  to  effect  their 
safety  and  happiness. 


336  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

"  By  awaiting  their  action,  all  causes  of  uneasi 
ness  may  be  avoided,  and  confidence  and  kind  feel 
ing  be  preserved.  With  a  view  of  maintaining  the 
harmony  and  tranquility  so  dear  to  all,  we  should 
abstain  from  the  introduction  of  those  exciting  top 
ics  of  a  sectional  character  which  have  hitherto  pro 
duced  painful  apprehensions  in  the  public  mind  ;  and 
I  repeat  the  solemn  warning  of  the  first  and  most 
illustrious  of  my  predecessors,  against  furnishing 
'any  ground  for  characterizing  parties  by  geo 
graphical  discriminations.' 

"  A  collector  has  been  appointed  at  San  Fran 
cisco,  under  the  act  of  Congress  extending  the  reve 
nue  laws  over  California,  and  measures  have  been 
taken  to  organize  the  custom-house  at  that  and  the 
other  ports  mentioned  in  that  act,  at  the  earliest 
period  practicable.  The  collector  proceeded  over 
land,  and  advices  have  not  yet  been  received  of  his 
arrival  at  San  Francisco.  Meanwhile,  it  is  under 
stood  that  the  customs  have  continued  to  be  col 
lected  there  by  officers  acting  under  the  military  au 
thority,  as  they  were  during  the  administration  of 
my  predecessor.  It  will,  I  think,  be  expedient  to 
confirm  the  collections  thus  made,  and  direct  the 
avails  (after  such  allowances  as  Congress  may  think 
fit  to  authorize)  to  be  expended  within  the  Territory, 
or  to  be  paid  into  the  Treasury  for  the  purpose  of 
meeting  appropriations  for  the  improvement  of  its 
rivers  and  harbors.  .  .  .  The  great  mineral  wealth 
of  California,  and  the  advantages  which  its  ports 
and  harbors,  and  those  of  Oregon,  afford  to  com 
merce,  especially  with  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  and 
Indian  Oceans  and  the  populous  regions  of  eastern 
Asia,  make  it  certain  that  there  will  arise  in  a  few 


THE   ELECTION   AND   INAUGURATION.      337 

years  large  and  prosperous  communities  on  our 
Western  coast.  It  therefore  becomes  important 
that  a  line  of  communication,  the  best  and  most  ex 
peditious  which  the  nature  of  the  country  will  admit 
of,  should  be  opened  within  the  territory  of  the 
United  States,  from  the  navigable  waters  of  the  At 
lantic,  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  to  the  Pacific.  Opin 
ion,  as  elicited  and  expressed  by  two  large  conven 
tions  lately  assembled  at  St.  Louis  and  Memphis, 
points  to  a  railroad  as  that  which,  if  practicable,  will 
best  meet  the  wishes  and  wants  of  the  country.  But 
while  this,  if  in  successful  operation,  would  be  a 
work  of  great  national  importance,  and  of  a  value  to 
the  country  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  estimate,  it 
ought  also  to  be  regarded  as  an  undertaking  of  vast 
magnitude  and  expense,  and  one  which  must,  if  it  be 
indeed  practicable,  encounter  many  difficulties  in  its 
construction  and  use.  Therefore,  to  avoid  failure 
and  disappointment,  to  enable  Congress  to  judge 
whether,  in  the  condition  of  the  country  through 
which  it  must  pass,  the  work  be  feasible ;  and  if  it 
be  found  so,  whether  it  should  be  undertaken  as  a 
national  improvement,  or  left  to  individual  enter 
prise;  and,  in  the  latter  alternative,  what  aid  if  any, 
ought  to  be  extended  to  it  by  the  Government,  I 
orecmmend,  as  a  preliminary  measure,  a  careful  re 
connaissance  of  the  several  proposed  routes  by  a 
scientific  corps,  and  a  report  as  to  the  practicability 
of  making  such  a  road,  with  an  estimate  of  the  cost 
of  its  construction  and  support.  ...  I  recommend 
early  appropriations  for  continuing  the  river  and 
harbor  improvements  which  have  been  already  be 
gun,  and  also  for  the  construction  of  those  for 
which  estimates  have  been  made,  as  well  as  for  ex- 


338  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

aminations  and  estimates  preparatory  to  the  com 
mencement  of  such  others  as  the  wants  of  the  coun 
try,  and  especially  the  advance  of  our  population 
over  new  districts  and  the  extension  of  commerce, 
may  render  necessary.  .  .  .  The  cession  of  territory 
made  by  the  late  treaty  with  Mexico  has  greatly  ex 
tended  our  exposed  frontier,  and  rendered  its  de 
fense  more  difficult.  That  treaty  has  also  brought 
us  under  obligations  to  Mexico,  to  comply  with 
which  a  military  force  is  requisite.  But  our  military 
establishment  is  not  materially  changed,  as  to  its 
efficiency,  from  the  condition  in  which  it  stood  be 
fore  the  commencement  of  the  Mexican  War.  Some 
addition  to  it  will  therefore  be  necessary ;  and  I 
recommend  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  Con 
gress  an  increase  of  the  several  corps  of  the  army 
at  our  distant  Western  posts,  as  proposed  in  the  ac 
companying  report  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  .  .  .  The 
plan  proposed  for  retiring  disabled  officers,  and  pro 
viding  an  asylum  for  such  of  the  rank  and  file  as  from 
age,  wounds,  and  other  infirmities  occasioned  by  serv 
ice,  have  become  unfit  to  perform  their  respective 
duties,  is  recommended  as  a  means  of  increasing  the 
efficiency  of  the  army,  and  as  an  act  of  justice  due 
from  a  grateful  country  to  the  faithful  soldier.  .  .  . 
Wherever  our  national  vessels  have  gone  they  have 
been  received  with  respect,  our  officers  have  been 
treated  with  kindness  and  courtesy,  and  they  have 
on'  all  occasions  pursued  a  strict  neutrality,  in  ac 
cordance  with  the  policy  of  our  Government.  The 
naval  force  at  present  in  commission  is  as  large  as  is 
admissible  with  the  number  of  men  authorized  by 
Congress  to  be  employed.  ...  By  an  act  of  Con 
gress  passed  August  14,  1848,  provision  was  made 


THE    ELECTION   AND    INAUGURATION.      339 

for  extending  post-office  and  mail  accommodations 
to  California  and  Oregon.  Exertions  have  been 
made  to  execute  that  law;  but  the  limited  provisions 
of  the  act,  the  inadequacy  of  the  means  it  authorizes, 
the  ill  adaptation  of  our  post-office  laws  to  the  situa 
tion  of  that  country,  and  the  measure  of  compensa 
tion  for  services  allowed  by  those  laws,  compared 
with  the  prices  of  labor  and  rents  in  California, 
render  those  exertions  in  a  great  degree  ineffectual. 
More  particular  and  efficient  provision  by  law  is  re 
quired  on  this  subject.  ...  It  is  submitted  to  the 
wisdom  of  Congress  whether  a  further  reduction  of 
postage  should  not  now  be  made,  more  particularly 
on  the  letter  correspondence.  This  should  be  re 
lieved  from  the  unjust  burden  of  transporting  and 
delivering  the  franked  matter  of  Congress,  for  which 
public  service  provision  should  be  made  from  the 
Treasury.  I  confidently  believe  that  a  change  may 
safely  be  made  reducing  all  single-letter  postage  to 
the  uniform  rate  of  five  cents,  regardless  of  distance, 
without  thereby  imposing  any  greater  tax  on  the 
Treasury  than  would  constitute  a  very  moderate  com 
pensation  for  this  public  service ;  and  I  therefore 
respectfully  recommend  such  a  reduction.  Should 
Congress  prefer  to  abolish  the  franking  privilege 
entirely,  it  seems  probable  that  no  demand  on  the 
Treasury  would  result  from  the  proposed  reduction 
of  postage.  Whether  any  further  diminution  should 
now  be  made,  or  the  result  of  the  reduction  to  five 
cents  which  I  have  recommended  should  be  first 
tested,  is  submitted  to  your  decision.  .  .  .  Among 
the  duties  assigned  by  the  Constitution  to  the  General 
Government  is  one  of  local  and  limited  application, 
but  not  on  that  account  the  less  obligatory  :  I  allude 


340  GENERAL    TAYLOR. 

to  the  trust  committed  to  Congress  as  the  exclusive 
legislator  and  sole  guardian  of  the  interests  of  the 
District  of  Columbia.  I  beg  to  commend  these  in 
terests  to  your  kind  attention.  As  the  national 
metropolis,  the  City  of  Washington  must  be  an  object 
of  general  interest ;  and,  founded  as  it  was  under 
the  auspices  of  him  whose  immortal  name  it  bears, 
its  claims  to  the  fostering  care  of  Congress  present 
themselves  with  additional  strength.  Whatever  can 
contribute  to  its  prosperity  must  enlist  the  feelings 
of  its  constitutional  guardians,  and  command  their 
favorable  consideration.  .  .  .  Our  Government  is 
one  of  limited  powers,  and  its  successful  administra 
tion  eminently  depends  on  the  confinement  of  each  of 
its  co-ordinate  branches  within  its  own  appropriate 
sphere.  The  first  section  of  the  Constitution  ordains 
that  *  all  legislative  powers  therein  granted  shall  be 
vested  in  a  Congress  of  the  United  States,  which 
shall  consist  of  a  Senate  and  House  of  Representa 
tives.'  The  Executive  has  authority  to  recommend 
(not  to  dictate)  measures  to  Congress.  Having  per 
formed  that  duty,  the  executive  department  of  the 
Government  can  not  rightfully  control  the  decision 
of  Congress  on  any  subject  of  legislation,  nor  act 
until  that  decision  shall  have  been  officially  submitted 
to  the  President  for  approval.  The  check  provided  by 
the  Constitution  in  the  clause  conferring  the  quali 
fied  veto  will  never  be  exercised  by  me  except  in  the 
cases  contemplated  by  the  fathers  of  the  republic.  I 
view  it  as  an  extreme  measure,  to  be  resorted  to  only 
in  extraordinary  cases — as  where  it  may  become 
necessary  to  defend  the  Executive  against  the  en 
croachments  of  the  legislative  power,  or  to  prevent 
hasty  and  inconsiderate  and  unconstitutional  legisla- 


THE    ELECTION    AND    INAUGURATION. 


341 


tion.  By  cautiously  confining  this  remedy  within  the 
sphere  prescribed  to  it  in  the  contemporaneous  ex 
positions  of  the  framers  of  the  Constitution,  the  will 
of  the  people,  legitimately  expressed  on  all  subjects 
of  legislation,  through  their  constitutional  organs,  the 
Senators  and  Representatives  of  the  United  States, 
will  have  its  full  effect.  As  indispensable  to  the 
preservation  of  our  system  of  self-government,  the 
independence  of  the  Representatives  of  the  States  and 
the  people  is  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution,  and 
they  owe  no  responsibility  to  any  human  power  but 
their  constituents.  By  holding  the  Representative 
responsible  only  to  the  people,  and  exempting  him 
from  all  other  influences,  we  elevate  the  character  of 
the  constituent,  and  quicken  his  sense  of  responsi 
bility  to  his  country.  It  is  under  these  circum 
stances  only  that  the  elector  can  feel  that,  in  the 
choice  of  the  law-maker,  he  is  himself  truly  a 
component  part  of  the  sovereign  power  of  the  nation. 
With  equal  care  we  should  study  to  defend  the  rights 
of  the  executive  and  judicial  departments.  Our 
Government  can  only  be  preserved  in  its  purity  by 
the  suppression  and  entire  elimination  of  every  claim 
or  tendency  of  one  co-ordinate  branch  to  encroach 
ment  upon  another.  With  the  strict  observance  of 
this  rule  and  the  other  injunctions  of  the  Constitu 
tion ;  with  a  sedulous  inculcation  of  that  respect  and 
love  for  the  union  of  the  States  which  our  fathers 
cherished  and  enjoined  upon  their  children ;  and 
with  the  aid  of  that  overruling  Providence  which  has 
so  long  and  so  kindly  guarded  our  liberties  and  insti 
tutions,  we  may  reasonably  expect  to  transmit  them, 
with  their  innumerable  blessings,  to  the  remotest 
posterity. 
23 


342 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


"  But  attachment  to  the  union  of  the  States 
should  be  habitually  fostered  in  every  American 
heart.  For  more  than  half  a  century,  during  which 
kingdoms  and  empires  have  fallen,  this  Union  has 
stood  unshaken.  The  patriots  who  formed  it  have 
long  since  descended  to  the  grave,  yet  still  it  re 
mains,  the  proudest  monument  to  their  memory,  and 
the  object  of  affection  and  admiration  with  every 
one  worthy  to  bear  the  American  name.  In  my 
judgment,  its  dissolution  would  be  the  greatest  of 
calamities,  and  to  avert  that  should  be  the  study  of 
every  American.  Upon  its  preservation  must  de 
pend  our  own  happiness  and  that  of  countless  gen 
erations  to  come.  Whatever  dangers  may  threaten 
it,  I  shall  stand  by  it,  and  maintain  it  in  its  integrity 
to  the  full  extent  of  the  obligations  imposed  and  the 
power  conferred  upon  me  by  the  Constitution." 

No  one  can  fail  to  see  in  this  message  a  singular 
inspiration.  Here  are  visions  of  the  future  which 
have  now  been  gloriously  fulfilled.  Taylor  begins 
by  decrying  the  false  prophets,  and  predicting  the 
stability  and  permanency  of  our  institutions.  When 
Clay  was  hesitating,  and  Webster  full  of  forebodings, 
Taylor  was  confident,  and  putting  upon  Congress 
squarely  the  plain  duty  of  sustaining  and  transmit 
ting  our  grand  history  unimpaired.  Without  apology 
or  variableness,  he  owns  to  a  "  kind  Providence  "  in 
the  abundance,  and  acknowledges  the  hand  of  the 
Almighty  in  calamity,  in  power,  and  in  inestimable 
blessings.  Meanwhile  his  heart  rejoices  in  our 
national  peace.  Next,  we  have  a  reassertion  of  our 
abiding  principle  of  standing  aloof  from  the  compli 
cations  and  strifes  of  other  peoples;  and  he  finds  the 
results  a  source  of  thanksgiving  to  the  great  Ruler 


THE   ELECTION   AND    INAUGURATION.      343 

of  Nations.  The  satisfaction  with  the  Mexican 
treaty  naturally  found  expression  here,  and  also  the 
urging  upon  Congress  the  settlements  of  claims  of 
American  citizens  whom  the  war  had  ruined.  His 
suggestions  or  hints  how  to  bind  the  new  Territories 
on  the  Pacific  to  the  Eastern  States,  and  how  to  draw 
the  American  Governments  into  closer  commercial 
and  permanent  relations,  gave  problems  whose  solu 
tion  has  since  become  replete  with  historic  interest. 
Again,  what  he  wrote  in  condemnation  of  the  Afri 
can  slave  trade  would  have  honored  the  utterances 
of  John  P.  Hale,  or  pointed  the  eloquent  paragraphs 
of  Wendell  Phillips. 

Those  who  now  (in  1892)  are  forwarding  the 
grand  public  highway  across  Nicaragua  for  ocean 
ships  will  be  delighted  to  review  his  project  for  a 
Nicaragua  ship  canal,  and  his  reference  to  the  bene 
fit  to  be  derived  therefrom.  Here  are  four  pregnant 
words.  "Private  enterprise,  properly  protected." 

Taylor's  Panama  railroad,  in  this  message,  sooner 
materialized,  and  the  transit,  though  always  inade 
quate,  brought  us  nearer  to  California  long  before 
the  Pacific  railways  made  a  closer  connection.  And 
surely  the  tariff  paragraph  can  now  hardly  be  ex 
celled  in  wisdom :  "  Fixing  the  duties  at  rates  high 
enough  to  afford  substantial  and  sufficient  encour 
agement  to  our  industry,  and  at  the  same  time  so 
adjusted  as  to  insure  stability."  What  brought  Gen 
eral  Taylor  the  greatest  political  hostility  and  plat 
form  abuse  was  his  recommendation  to  admit  Cali 
fornia,  with  a  free  constitution,  which  recommenda 
tion  he  soon  followed  by  another  of  like  import  con 
cerning  New  Mexico.  Slaveholder  though  he  was, 
he  never  for  an  instant  seems  to  have  considered  his 


344  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

own  personal  interest,  immediate  or  remote.  He 
asked  in  this  regard  but  one  question,  namely, 
What  conditions  of  admission  does  the  Constitution 
require  ? 

This  message,  though  made  as  long  ago  as  1849, 
shows  the  coming  prosperity  of  California,  and  in 
augurates  new  surveys  for  highways  and  railways, 
and  sets  in  motion  numerous  public  improvements  at 
the  national  charge,  which  have  since,  in  one  way  or 
another,  been  adopted  and  carried  on  to  completion. 
Here,  too,  we  find  a  thoughtful  projection  of  "  the 
retired  list "  for  disabled  officers,  and  a  good  pro 
vision  suggested  for  wounded,  aged,  and  infirm  sol 
diers,  these  things  being  put  upon  the  ground  of  the 
increased  efficiency  of  the  army,  and  "justice  from  a 
grateful  country." 

Taylor  found  place  for  the  extension  of  our  post 
al  system  to  new  countries,  and  detected  the  great 
economy  of  reducing  postage.  He  thought  a  letter 
might  even  be  carried  at  a  price  as  low  as  "  five  cents." 

Washington  and  the  District  of  Columbia  felt  his 
friendly  hand.  "Whatever  can  contribute  to  their 
prosperity  "  he  strongly  favored.  As  a  last  thought, 
he  warmly  deprecates  any  interference  between  the 
Executive,  the  Congress,  and  the  courts.  How 
much  has  always  depended  on  independence  there  ? 
You  must  not  break  one  leg  of  a  tripod,  for  the 
tripod  will  then  topple  over.  And  after  a  few  choice 
words  concerning  the  functions  and  responsibilities 
of  a  representative  or  an  elector,  who  must  ever  look 
to  the  desires  of  his  constituents,  the  general  turns 
to  remind  Congress  once  more  of  our  heritage,  of 
the  inestimable  value  of  the  American  Union,  and  of 
the  dependent  happiness  of  "countless  generations 


THE    ELECTION   AND    INAUGURATION. 


345 


to  come."  Then  he  declares  himself  as  he  might 
have  done  in  battle :  "  I  shall  stand  by  the  Union, 
and  maintain  it  in  its  integrity  to  the  full  extent  of 
the  power  conferred  upon  me  by  the  Constitution." 

This  message,  in  its  clearness,  directness,  and  ad 
mirable  wisdom,  will  live  by  the  side  of  Washington's 
last  address  and  Lincoln's  characteristic  proclama 
tion  of  emancipation.  It  was  the  nucleus  around 
which  gathered  and  crystallized  all  the  elements  of 
Congress  which  were  favorable  first  and  always  to 
the  preservation  of  this  nation ;  and  its  influence 
upon  the  whole  country,  upon  men  of  all  parties, 
can  not  be  estimated. 

The  writer  well  remembers  the  visit  of  the  Hun 
garian  patriots  to  this  continent.  They  had  been 
exiled  from  their  country  after  their  unsuccessful  at 
tempt  at  revolution.  A  party,  five  in  number,  visited 
President  Taylor,  accompanied  by  the  mayor  of  the 
city  of  Washington.  They  ventured  to  show  them 
selves  encouraged  by  a  letter  addressed  to  them  by 
the  President  himself,  in  which  he  said :  "  I  bespeak 
the  sentiments  of  my  countrymen  in  bidding  you  and 
your  associates  a  cordial  welcome  to  our  soil,  the 
natural  asylum  of  the  oppressed  from  every  clime. 
We  offer  you  protection,  and  a  free  participation  in 
the  benefits  of  our  institutions." 

The  chosen  chairman  of  the  exiles  read  aloud  the 
above  letter.  After  he  had  finished,  the  President 
replied  verbally  as  follows  : 

"  It  is  with  feelings  of  sincere  pleasure  that  I  wel 
come  yon  and  those  around  you  to  the  capital  of  these 
United  States.  During  your  noble  struggle  for  lib 
erty  no  people  have  watched  the  progress  of  the 
Hungarian  cause  with  more  solicitude  than  those  of 


346  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

this  Union.  Wherever  the  standard  of  liberty  is 
raised,  there  will  be  the  aspirations  of  the  American 
people.  I  regret  exceedingly  that  Kossuth  himself 
is  not  here.  Although  we  Americans  do  not  inter 
fere  in  the  struggles  of  foreign  nations,  still  we 
would  have  been  the  first  to  acknowledge  the  in 
dependence  of  your  people  if  the  Hungarian  cause 
had  been  successful." 

In  a  newspaper  published  at  Washington, 
called  The  Union,  of  date  January  17,  1850,  the 
following  article  appeared:  "A  Criticism  on  the 
President."  "  It  seems  that,  with  all  his  professed 
respect  for  the  will  of  the  people  as  expressed 
through  their  representatives,  he  [the  President] 
takes  no  pains  to  conceal  his  passion  when  the  rep 
resentatives  of  the  people  call  upon  him  for  in 
formation  relating  not  to  his  but  to  the  people's 
business."  This  statement  crept  into  a  partisan 
journal.  It  was  thoroughly  refuted  in  the  National 
Intelligencer  the  next  day.  There  doubtless  was  a 
slight  cause  for  the  paragraph — some  office-seeker 
had  been  rebuffed.  Who  can  wonder  that  occasion 
ally  General  Taylor  became  impatient  under  the  un 
ceasing  pressure  for  office?  He  was  certainly  hu 
man  ! 

The  project  of  the  Nicaragua  Canal  was  dis 
cussed  in  the  National  Intelligencer  in  its  issue  of 
February  28,  1850.  The  friends  of  the  enterprise 
were  delighted  to  find  in  the  President  so  firm  a 
friend.  About  this  time,  on  invitation,  President 
Taylor  visited  Richmond,  Virginia,  to  lay  the  cor 
ner-stone  of  the  Washington  monument.  He  went 
by  vessel  down  the  Potomac,  and  was  met  near  its 
mouth  by  a  committee  comprising  a  large  number 


THE   ELECTION   AND    INAUGURATION.      347 

of  the  Virginia  officials,  with  a  special  train  to  con 
duct  him  to  Richmond.  He  received  a  generous 
ovation  at  the  State  capital,  and  in  every  place  he 
passed  through  was  displayed  remarkable  enthu 
siasm.  In  replying  to  the  address  of  welcome 
which  was  delivered  by  the  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Virginia,  and  was  very  complimentary  in  tone, 
especially  touching  the  Mexican  War,  the  President 
spoke  to  this  effect : 

"  The  chief  honor  that  you  mention  belongs  to 
the  patriotic  volunteers  and  soldiers.  I  only  had 
the  honor  to  lead."  Among  other  remarks  that  he 
made  was  the  following  modest  disclaimer:  "Dur 
ing  my  past  life  I  have  been  devoted  to  my  coun 
try,  as  I  shall  be  in  the  future.  It  can  not  be  ex 
pected  that  one  whose  time  has  been  occupied  in 
camp  and  field  could  properly  address  so  enlight 
ened  an  audience."  Recalling  his  stanch  patriotism, 
his  popularity  in  Richmond  was  taken  by  the  anti- 
slavery  and  Whig  papers  to  be  a  good  omen  of  the 
Union  feeling  of  that  section. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

TAYLOR'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

The  state  of  the  country  after  Taylor's  election — The  testimony 
of  Dr.  Upham,  a  living  witness — Northern  sentiments — South 
ern  fears  and  feeling — Conservative  minds  illustrated — Presi 
dent  Taylor  the  "steadying  center" — Hon.  Herman  White, 
of  Cohoes,  New  York,  shows  the  angry  element  in  Con 
gress — A  Northern  man  and  a  Southern  of  sympathetic  Union 
views  meet — A  "Fire-eater"  and  Edward  Stanley — The  last 
speech  of  John  C.  Calhoun — Pierce  and  Calhoun — How  Gen 
eral  Taylor  met  disloyal  threats— The  six  Southern  friends- 
Confidence  in  Daniel  Webster  and  what  he  accomplished — 
Georgia's  vote — How  Union  men  turned  away — The  faults  of 
Pierce's  administration — Taylor  loved  the  flag. 

As  a  side-light  thrown  upon  the  political  and  so 
cial  condition  of  our  people  at  the  national  capital 
during  the  earlier  part  of  Taylor's  administration, 
the  testimony  of  Dr.  Upham,  whose  name  has  been 
previously  mentioned,  is  here  of  value.  The  doctor 
has  written  a  few  books  of  a  historic  kind  which  bear 
evidence  of  his  long  and  thorough  study  and  care 
ful  research.  His  retentive  memory  and  candor  of 
statement  entitle  a  contribution  from  him  to  much 
weight.  With  a  view  especially  to  secure  to  the 
readers  of  this  biography  a  fair  exhibit  of  the  un 
usual  social  disturbances  in  Washington  and  neigh 
boring  cities,  North  and  South,  and  their  correctives 
during  the  very  brief  administration  of  General 


TAYLOR'S  ADMINISTRATION.  349 

Zachary  Taylor,  the  substance  of  Dr.  Upham's  tes 
timony  is  presented  in  this  chapter.     First  he  takes 
us  to  Philadelphia.     This  city  was  then  virtually  on 
the  border  line  between  the  North  and  South.     The 
doctor  and  his  family,  from   New   England,  found 
themselves  temporarily  living  there  during  the  ex 
citing  times  just  after  the  election  of  1848.     At  his 
boarding-place  were  many  Northern  acquaintances 
and  several  Southern  people;  so  that,  in  the  conver 
sations  which  naturally  arose,  the  topic  nearest  every 
body's  heart  came  up  more  or  less  day  by  day— con 
versations  frank   and  general,   frequently  touching 
upon  subjects  of  public  interest,  bringing  out   the 
different,  often  conflicting,  opinions  held  in  different 
sections  of  the  country.     The  doctor  himself  was  a 
"Webster  Whig."     As   he  was   a   man,   even   when 
young,  of  a  conservative  turn,  he  said  he  did  all  he 
could  to  promote  peace  between  contending  people, 
but  he  owns  to  having  at  one  time,  previous  to  this 
visit,  been  very  much  opposed  to  slavery  itself,  and 
to  have  spoken  and  written  with  much  intenseness 
and  depth  of  feeling  on   this  fiery  topic.     Yet  the 
cause  of  the  perpetuity  of  the  Union  was  ever  upper 
most  in  his  mind  and  heart.     While  it  was  a  moral 
discussion,  that  was  one  thing ;  but  when  it  became 
a  political  one  and  demanded  political  action,  that 
was  quite  another.     "  The  political  movements  en 
dangered  the  union  of  the  States."     It  was  his  solemn 
conviction  that  this  Union  was  bound  up  with  the 
largest  and  most  lasting  interests   of   human  kind ; 
that  it  would  become  in  the  course  of  time  a  model 
of  the  federation  of  the  different  kingdoms  of  Europe 
so  far  as  to  provide  for  their  mutual  benefit ;  that  the 
breaking  up  of  the  Union  here,  a  division  between 


350 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


the  South  and  the  North,  the  formation  of  two  gov 
ernments,  would  make  it  necessary  to  draw  a  line  of 
forts  extending  from  north  to  south  and  east  to  west 
throughout  the  whole  breadth  of  the  land;  a  break' 
ing  up  of  the  freedom  of  intercourse  between  the 
States,  and  possibly  necessitate  further  subdivisions. 
It  appeared  to  this  young  man  wiser  and  better  to 
leave  the  question  of  slavery  to  other  influences  than 
to  those  of  political  bodies,  which  were  sure  in  time 
to  bring  about  a  clash  of  arms.  Signs  of  this  catas 
trophe  were  already  visible,  and  most  deeply  affected 
the  people,  who,  like  Dr.  Upham,  took  the  old  Whig 
view  of  political  matters.  The  general  state  of  feel 
ing  in  the  country  at  large  may  be  gauged  and  judged 
of  by  this  thinker's  position.  Like  the  wild  throes 
of  a  revolution,  it  throbbed  and  boiled  around  the 
conservative  Whigs  as  a  steadying  center.  President 
Taylor,  when  he  occupied  the  White  House,  and  those 
who  quietly  stood  by  him  from  the  North  and  from 
the  South,  afforded  that  "  steadying  center."  A  thrill 
of  alarm  and  fear  passed  through  the  whole  South 
where  slavery  then  existed,  at  the  startling  language 
of  the  bona-fide  Abolitionists  in  the  North ;  at  the 
same  time  there  yet  existed  a  strong  hope  that  the 
conservative  and  patriotic  sentiment  of  the  free  States 
would  be  forcible  enough  to  restrain  all  adverse  in 
fluences  and  preserve  inviolate  the  promises  of  the 
Constitution.  My  conservative  friend,  like  the  man 
who  studies  mankind  in  himself,  ponders  over  and 
illustrates  the  condition  of  society  at  large  during 
Taylor's  term  of  office,  by  that  of  his  own  Philadel 
phia  boarding-place.  He  says:  "Two  ladies  at  our 
table — mother  and  daughter — came  to  me  in  the  par 
lor  one  morning  and  told  me  that  they  were  going 


TAYLOR'S    ADMINISTRATION.  351 

to  leave.  With  the  older  lady  I  had  spoken  ;  I  think 
not  with  the  younger.  When  I  expressed  my  regret 
at  their  going  the  young  lady  burst  into  tears.  Her 
mother,  of  course,  instantly  proceeded  to  explain. 
She  said  that  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  the  peo 
ple  had  become  so  alarmed  by  the  excitement  and 
apprehension  felt  there  in  consequence  of  things  that 
were  well  known  to  me,  that  they  had  made  up  their 
minds  to  leave  the  country  and  the  city,  and  to  make 
their  homes  in  Europe ;  and  that  the  kindness  of  my 
tone  and  my  appreciation  of  the  situation  of  the  state 
of  things  in  the  country  generally,  and  especially  in 
the  South,  had  so  surprised  and  touched  them,  that 
her  daughter,  on  leaving  us,  was  quite  overcome  by 
the  remembrance  of  it.  This  opened  my  eyes  to  see 
more  clearly  than  before  something  of  the  real  state 
of  the  South,  and  the  feeling  of  readiness  to  respond 
to  any  patriotic  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  North." 
But  after  the  departure  of  these  acquaintances,  my 
friend,  during  the  winter,  was  greatly  disturbed  by 
new  facts  which  indicated  to  him  more  and  more  the 
sensitive,  morbid  state  of  our  people.  His  appre 
hension  was  intensified  that  a  great  crisis  was  ap 
proaching,  and,  indeed,  near  at  hand;  so  he  finally 
decided  to  go  to  Washington,  and  there  make  a  care 
ful  study  of  the  state  of  things  for  himself.  He  re 
sided  at  the  National  Hotel.  The  first  evening  be 
ing  very  stormy,  he  naturally  met  no  public  man ;  but 
the  next  day  Hon.  Herman  White,  member  of  the 
House  from  Cohoes,  New  York,  a  personal  friend, 
called  upon  him.  Mr.  White,  a  strong,  hearty  man, 
with  a  beaming  face,  was  then  a  little  past  middle  life. 
Handsomely  dressed,  replete  with  good  cheer  and 
kindness,  he  appeared  to  his  young  friend  like  "  the 


352  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

English  gentleman  of  the  olden  times."  Whom  could 
he  better  consult  as  to  the  dangers  of  a  great  up 
heaval  and  civil  strife? 

To  the  first  question  concerning  the  state  of  the 
country  Mr.  White  became  serious  and  said  "things 
had  looked  very  bad  indeed  since  this  session  be 
gan.  There  had  been  a  good  deal  of  danger  of  an 
outbreak  on  the  floor  of  Congress,  passion  ran  so 
high ;  Southern  members  have  become  so  exasper 
ated  by  the  course  of  certain  uncompromising  parties 
from  the  North,  that  I  have  of  late  every  day  gone 
to  the  hall  of  the  House  with  a  pistol  in  my  bosom." 
Ten  years  later  than  the  period  under  consideration 
the  efforts  of  our  Government  to  strengthen  the 
forts  of  Charleston  harbor,  as  we  all  know,  led  to  the 
firing  on  Fort  Sumter.  Then,  at  that  early  epoch,  a 
similar  increase  of  men  sent  by  the  War  Department 
to  enlarge  the  garrisons  caused  the  Governor  of 
South  Carolina  to  send  a  formal  inquiry  to  President 
Taylor  to  ascertain  why  additional  troops  had  been 
sent  to  the  forts  on  that  coast.  Taylor's  prompt 
reply  was:  "The  President  is  Commander-in-Chief 
of  the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  United  States,  and 
for  his  disposal  of  its  forts  he  is  not  required  to 
give  his  reasons  to  any  man." 

One  of  the  most  memorable  revolutionary  events 
in  the  minds  of  the  people  of  Charleston  in  the  war 
of  the  Revolution  was  the  defense  of  Fort  Moultrie. 
The  anniversary  of  that  day  was  formerly  always  re 
membered  on  the  island,  where  large  gatherings  of 
the  people  appeared,  with  good  cheer  and  rejoicing. 
There  was  nothing  of  the  kind  during  the  year  of 
which  we  speak.  An  order  by  the  military  com 
mander  of  the  fort  forbade  the  landing  of  any  boats 


TAYLOR'S   ADMINISTRATION.  353 

on  that  day,  and,  with  cannon  loaded  and  his  men 
under  arms,  he  waited  all  the  day  for  whatever 
might  happen.  Fortunately,  as  in  the  spring  of 
1861,  so  in  the  spring  of  1850,  there  was  a  most 
sagacious  and  prudent  officer  of  the  army  in  com 
mand  in  Charleston  harbor,  who  at  this  juncture 
helped  to  allay  the  troubled  waters.  His  friends  in 
New  England  could  hardly  credit  his  testimony  con 
cerning  the  dangers  that  were  so  imminent.  So  little 
was  the  attitude  and  spirit  of  the  South  understood 
in  those  days,  that  our  most  radical  "  Free-Soilers  " 
were  often  disposed  to  taunt  the  people  of  that  sec 
tion  with  insincerity  and  bravado.  For  example,  even 
our  most  courteous  Senator  from  New  Hampshire, 
John  P.  Hale,  is  reported  in  a  public  speech  to  have 
said :  "  The  South  could  not  be  kicked  into  a  fight." 
It  now,  in  the  light  of  history,  seems  a  most  absurd 
statement ;  but  such  an  impression  was  not  uncom 
mon  in  the  North  at  that  time.  Men  could  notbe  made 
to  believe  till  long  afterward  that  civil  war  in  num 
berless  places  was  indeed  brewing,  and  was  certain  to 
break  forth  sooner  or  later  into  a  furious  and  terrible 
reality.  The  facts,  however,  known  to  our  friend  at 
the  capital,  who  was  carefully  sounding  the  currents 
on  all  sides  of  him,  conclusively  prove  that  the  up 
heaval  that  burst  upon  the  nation  even  then  as  a  sur 
prise,  came  near  to  the  surface — nearer  than  most 
Northern  men  dreamed— in  1850,  eleven  years  before 
the  rebellion. 

Another  conservative  mind  from  the  South — a  man 
of  high  standing  and  patriotic  impulse,  who  had  come 
to  Washington  with  the  hope  of  doing  something  for 
the  preservation  of  the  peace  which  he  believed, 
from  his  own  environment,  to  be  in  peril — said  to  his 


354 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


Northern  companion  and  co-worker  :  "  I  see  the  deep 
interest  that  you  take  in  ascertaining  the  real  state 
of  feeling  in  our  Southern  country,  and  in  a  few  days 
I  shall  have  some  information  to  impart  that  may 
be  of  great  interest  and  importance.  In  South 
Carolina  there  are  lodges  throughout  the  State  asso 
ciated  together  for  political  ends  and  aims,  largely 
consisting  of  young  men.  The  leaders  of  our  south 
ern  section  of  country,  desiring  to  test  and  to  feel 
the  pulse  of  the  people,  have  brought  about  a 
meeting  of  representatives  of  these  associations  in 
the  city  of  Charleston,  and  as  soon  as  I  have  infor 
mation  of  the  result  I  will  let  you  know/'  The  re 
sult,  as  he  declared  a  few  weeks  later,  "  had  been 
most  surprising.  When  they  came  together  the  feel 
ing  ran  high.  They  were  so  ready  for  secession  of  the 
State  itself  at  once,  and  for  the  taking  up  of  arms, 
that  it  was  thought  dangerous  for  them  to  remain  in 
session,  and  they  were  summarily  sent  home  by  the 
leaders  who  had  called  them  together."  The  leaders 
found  the  pulse  too  dangerous;  the  feeling  ran  so 
high,  that,  while  they  knew  they  could  rely  upon  the 
people  of  South  Carolina  for  any  action,  they  felt, 
however,  that  any  too  precipitate  movement,  to  war 
rant  a  hope  of  final  success,  must  be  avoided.  The 
emeute  at  Charleston  or  in  South  Carolina  really 
hinged  on  a  reported  clash  between  the  authorities 
of  the  State  of  Texas  and  the  United  States.  In 
case  of  the  use  of  force  or  of  an  actual  collision, 
there  was  a  well-laid  plot  in  South  Carolina  to  seize 
immediately  the  forts  in  Charleston  harbor,  and  thus 
begin  at  once  the  civil  wyar. 

We  may  further  illustrate  the  possibility  of  a  so 
cial  and  political  irruption  by  a  conversation  at  the 


TAYLOR'S   ADMINISTRATION.  355 

National  Hotel  a  little  later  between  two  Taylor 
Whigs,  who  both  ardently  loved  the  Union.  "  I  see," 
said  the  Southerner  to  the  Northerner,  "  that  you, 
like  myself,  have  been  drawn  to  the  city  by  a  feel 
ing  common  to  us  both,  and  of  deep  interest  as  to 
what  has  been  done  or  what  may  come  to  pass." 
And  this  was  true  not  of  him  alone,  but  of  hosts  of 
others.  He  went  on  to  say  :  "  The  owning  of  slaves 
has  not  been  the  kind  of  property  which  was  thought 
by  myself  and  my  family  particularly  desirable.  We 
still  hold  to  the  ideas  of  Jefferson  and  of  other  patri 
ots  of  Revolutionary  times.  The  member  from  my 
district  was  elected  as  a  conservative  man,  but  he 
says  passion  has  since  run  so  high,  and  times  have 
been  so  threatening,  that  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  try  and 
strengthen  him,  fearing  that  he  might  be  a  little  weak 
in  the  knees  ;  and  now  I  can  tell  you  this,  which  is 
the  point  I  have  been  aiming  at  :  things  may  even 
now,  by  the  efforts  of  patriotic  men,  North  and  South, 
be  kept  quiet ;  that  is  the  only  hope  for  a  delay.  If 
there  should  come  about  a  clash,  if  a  single  Southern 
man  be  killed,  it  will  be  said  at  once  by  all  the  men 
of  the  South,  '  There  lies  a  man  who  died  in  the  de 
fense  of  ourselves  and  our  property';  "and,"  he 
said,  "this  cry  would  sweep  with  it  myself,  my  family, 
and  my  country."  His  views  at  that  early  time  as 
to  civil  war  were  fully  borne  out  by  events  which 
we  know  took  place  a  few  years  later. 

The  following  episode  shows  the  temper  of  Con 
gress  during  that  memorable  epoch.  A  little  after 
this  conversation,  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
Edward  Stanley,  of  North  Carolina — a  man  of  charm 
ing  presence,  fine  address,  and  personally  very  popu 
lar  with  all — was  making  one  of  his  speeches  in  the 


356  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

evening  that  was  not  more  pleasing  to  Northern  pa 
triots  than  to  men  of  the  South  ;  earnest,  humorous, 
full  of  point  and  sallies  of  wit,  in  which  he  alluded  to 
something  which  had  been  said  by  one  of  the  "  Fire- 
eaters."  Criticising  the  speaker  in  terms  parliament 
ary  no  doubt,  he  brought  the  man  to  his  feet.  Break 
ing  in  upon  Mr.  Stanley's  speech,  in  the  most  angry 
and  excited  manner,  he  asked  him  in  what  sense 
he  used  those  words.  A  hush  fell  that  was  awe- 
inspiring — a  silence  in  the  hall  like  that  of  death ; 
to  use  a  well-worn  figure,  "  you  might  have  heard  a 
pin  drop."  It  seemed  a  long  time,  though  it  was  but 
an  instant,  before  Mr.  Stanley,  with  a  courteous  bow 
and  a  "  smile  that  was  child-like  and  bland,"  replied, 
"  In  the  Pickwickian  sense  !  "  And  the  roll  of  laughter 
that  went  through  the  hall  wafted  away  the  danger  of 
an  instant  attack,  or  of  a  duel  in  the  near  future. 
That  there  had  been  danger  in  the  District  of  a  clash 
of  arms  men  on  the  floor  of  the  House  of  Representa 
tives  had  seen,  and  made  record  of  the  fact.  That 
there  was  danger  there  and  elsewhere  of  something 
of  the  kind,  and  that  it  was  sought  for  and  planned 
by  certain  public  men  in  conspiracy  at  that  time, 
that  they  might  seize  upon  the  capital  and  public 
property  to  the  South,  and  have  as  President  a 
Southern  man,  a  planter  from  Louisiana;  that  they 
might  then  and  there  inaugurate  a  Southern  repub 
lic,  was  apparent  and  certain  ;  and  we  find  the  symp 
toms,  in  various  ways  and  sundry  forms,  appearing 
in  most  of  the  journals  of  the  day.  But,  before 
further  speaking  of  that,  it  may  be  well  here  to  re 
call  a  scene  in  the  chamber  of  the  Senate.  It  was 
virtually  "the  dying  speech  "  of  John  C.  Calhoun. 
Seated  in  his  curia-chair  with  his  cloak  around  him, 


1A\LOR'S   ADMINISTRATION.  357 

his  eye  undimmed  and  full  of  fire,  he  looked  as  noble 
as  any  senator  in  the  best  days  of  Rome,  but  he  was 
too  weak  to  stand,  and  lived  after  this  only  a  few 
months.  His  speech  was  read  for  him  by  Mason,  of 
Virginia,  a  man  of  fine  presence  and  full,  command 
ing  tone,  whose  voice  rang  through  the  hall  like  a 
blast  from  a  trumpet.  Warning  the  North  of  what 
seemed  to  him  almost  inevitable,  he  said  :  "  Let  them 
not  name  the  illustrious  man  whose  bones  lie  below 
on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Potomac  ;  we  too  have 
looked  into  his  history,  and  find  there  nothing  that 
countenances  submission  to  wrong."  Our  young 
Northern  friend,  who  was  present,  exclaims :  "  Such 
was  the  impression  made  on  my  mind  by  that  last 
speech  of  Calhoun,  that  I  felt  certain  that  the  irre 
pressible  conflict  between  the  North  and  the  South 
must  be  decided  on  fields  of  battle,  as  I  did  eleven 
years  later,  when  I  saw  the  mustering  of  armed  men 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  land." 

Another  incident  in  this  connection  is  of  interest. 
Franklin  Pierce,  of  New  Hampshire,  in  a  speech  in 
the  House  of  Representatives,  no  doubt  with  honest 
intentions  and  to  quiet  the  alarm  that  was  working  so 
deeply  in  the  Southern  mind  and  heart,  stated  that 
there  were  no  abolitionists  whatever  known  to  him 
in  the  district  he  had  the  honor  to  represent.  There 
upon,  from  his  place  in  the  Senate,  Mr.  Calhoun, 
who  ever  kept  himself  thoroughly  well  informed  of 
all  that  was  taking  place  in  .all  parts  of  the  country, 
read  from  a  newspaper  a  full  account  of  a  meeting 
of  avowed  abolitionists  in  Mr.  Pierce's  own  district, 
and  the  resolutions  which  they  passed.  Franklin 
Pierce,  a  man  of  undeniable  bravery,  and  who  in  the 
Mexican  War  had  been  military  Governor  of  the  City 
24 


358 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


of  Mexico,  was  then  quite  young,  and,  with  something 
of  the  fire  and  impetuosity  of  youth,  took  a  course 
hardly  paralleled  in  parliamentary  history.  He  came 
over  into  the  chamber  of  the  Senate,  where  he  had 
no  right  to  be  heard.  Being,  however,  permitted 
there  to  speak,  he  said,  if  the  truth  of  anything  ut 
tered  by  him  in  the  hall  of  Representatives  was 
doubted  in  the  Senate,  he  had  a  right  to  claim  from 
any  such  person  the  satisfaction  due  to  him  as  a 
gentleman.  Mr.  Calhoun  was  fond  of  young  men, 
and  they  were  fond  of  him.  Pierce,  by  his  ante 
cedents  and  by  his  character,  was  a  favorite  of  his, 
and  he  at  once,  in  a  most  complimentary,  courteous, 
and  satisfactory  manner,  disclaimed  the  thought  of 
making  any  such  impression  as  those  words  implied, 
stating  that  he  read  the  proceedings  of  that  meeting 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  showing  how  and  in  what 
an  unexpected  manner,  even  to  those  nearest  to  it, 
the  fire  which  was  threatening  the  South  was  already 
kindling  in  the  North. 

It  was  about  this  time,  when  the  political  ferment 
was  excessively  annoying  to  all  lovers  of  the  Union, 
that  certain  representatives  of  the  Southern  party  in 
Congress — probably  enough  to  be  called  a  delegation 
from  the  same — went  to  President  Zachary  Taylor, 
claiming  him  as  a  planter  from  Louisiana  and  a  citi 
zen  of  the  South,  and  asked  to  lay  before  him  their 
plan — viz.,  by  force  of  arms  to  seize  upon  the  Capitol 
and  other  public  buildings  at  Washington,  and  then 
and  there  in  the  District  of  Columbia  to  inaugurate  a 
Southern  republic — which  last  was  actually  done 
years  later  in  the  capitol  at  Richmond.  Of  course 
such  an  outbreak  would  have  been  followed  by  the 
local  opposition  of  loyal  men  and  the  resistance  of 


TAYLOR'S   ADMINISTRATION. 


359 


the  Northern  members  of  Congress,  who  were  to  have 
been  dispossessed  of  their  seats  in  the  Capitol.  The 
conspirators  were  wholly  mistaken  in  the  man  then 
placed  at  the  head  of  affairs !  General  Taylor  was 
not  then,  and  never  had  been,  at  any  period  of  his 
life,  in  sympathy  with  the  extreme  pro-slavery  men. 
In  thought  and  feeling  he  was  fully  in  sentiment 
with  Washington,  Jefferson,  and  other  patriots  of 
the  Revolutionary  War,  and  especially  with  Henry 
Clay.  He  looked  forward  to  the  time  when  slavery 
might  cease  throughout  the  entire  republic.  General 
Taylor  was  a  man  of  deeds,  not  of  words;  but  in 
his  reply  to  those  men  his  words  were  equivalent 
to  deeds  of  greatest  consequence  to  his  country,  and 
proved  him  to  have  been  one  of  the  few  men  in  our 
history  who  were  really  indispensable.  General  Tay 
lor  told  the  delegation  that,  if  there  was  any  out 
break  or  disturbance  of  the  public  peace,  he  himself 
would  put  it  down  at  the  head  of  volunteers— yes, 
of  volunteers  from  the  South.  Nobler  words  than 
his  at  that  epoch  have  seldom  been  used  by  any 
man ;  and  behind  them  was  the  full  force  of  the 
firm  character  which  he  had  fully  shown  on  hard- 
contested  fields  of  battle.  The  effect  of  these 
words  was  felt  in  producing  the  comparative  quie 
tude  that  ensued  during  that  session  of  Congress. 
Reports  of  this  memorable  interview  found  their 
way  also  into  the  journals  of  the  time.  It  was  no 
secret.  It  does  not  rest  upon  the  testimony  of  any 
one  individual.  But  some  of  the  partisan  journals 
suppressed  those  telling  words,  "  by  volunteers  from 
the  South" — words  which  then  had  such  great  power 
over  the  minds  of  those  who  heard  and  those  who 
read  them. 


360  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

It  is  pleasant  to  introduce  here  some  direct  testi 
mony  from  a  prominent  statesman  :  "  My  plantation 
in  Louisiana  nearly  joins  that  of  General  Taylor,  who 
was  my  near  neighbor.  I  saw  him  often  during  many 
years,  and  perhaps  I  am  as  well  acquainted  with  his 
real  sentiments  as  any  man  can  well  be.  I  know 
from  my  intercourse  with  him  that  he  is  not  at 
heart  in  favor  of  slavery,  neither  am  I  myself."  He 
added  :  "  If  I  were  not  sure  of  his  sentiments  I  would 
not  vote  for  him." 

As  the  moving  branch  or  trembling  leaf  shows 
the  direction  of  the  wind,  so  a  few  words  from  a 
common  man  in  society  often  is  the  best  indication 
of  the  trend  of  events.  The  book-keeper  of  the 
National  Hotel,  watching  the  state  of  affairs  as  ex 
hibited  to  him  from  day  to  day,  said  to  our  con 
servative  friend:  "Sir,  you  may  think  that  these 
threats  of  war  are  mere  talk,  and  that  there  is  noth 
ing  of  substance  behind  them.  The  apprehension 
of  immediate  trouble  has  abated  a  good  deal.  You 
would  not  think  it,  but  I  belong  to  one  of  the 
militia  companies  of  the  District.  We  soldiers  think 
more  than  I  can  tell  about  the  state  of  things. 
We  have  come  together  at  different  times  and  places, 
and  we  talk  the  matter  over,  and  we  all  have  come 
to  this  conclusion — that  we  would  do  just  what 
Zach.  Taylor  told  us  to  do !  "  The  military  of 
the  District  would  have  followed  Zachary  Taylor 
and  obeyed  his  commands  to  a  man  ;  and  no  doubt 
Taylor  relied  upon  the  military  of  the  District  and 
of  Baltimore  to  do  whatever  needed  to  be  done 
in  the  outset,  let  the  emergency  be  what  it  might. 
Thus  at  that  moment  the  affair,  as  we  have  seen, 
was  brought  under  control  for  a  time.  But  here,  in 


TAYLOR'S   ADMINISTRATION.  361 

justice  to  another  great  man — Daniel  Webster — 
whose  influence  at  that  time  has  probably  never  been 
fully  understood  by  his  countrymen,  let  us  state  some 
facts  which  had  a  marked  effect  upon  the  course 
of  human  events.  There  were  at  that  time  in  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States  six  men  from  the 
South  who  had  been  more  conservative  and  prob 
ably  of  really  greater  influence  than  the  fire-eating 
men  then  in  conspiracy  plotting  the  dissolution  of 
the  Union  among  the  Representatives.  One  Satur 
day  night  one  of  these  six  was  alone  in  his  room, 
his  mind  filled  with  the  questions  of  the  day,  of 
what  had  better  come  or  what  had  to  be  done. 
There  was  a  rap  at  his  door,  and  another  of  the  six 
came  into  that  room  ;  soon  afterward  a  third  rap 
at  the  door,  and  there  was  yet  another,  and  soon 
all  the  six  were  together.  A  common  feeling,  with 
out  any  concert  of  action,  had  led  to  this  meeting 
at  this  late  hour  of  the  night ;  and  knowing  each 
other,  and  the  position  they  held  on  the  questions 
that  were  in  each  of  their  minds,  the  conference 
was  a  solemn  and  startling  one.  Apparently  some 
what  to  the  surprise  of  the  rest,  the  first  speaker 
said  there  was  nothing  left  to  them  but  to  fight. 
The  second  followed  in  the  same  tone  and  to  the 
same  effect.  So  did  the  third,  and  the  fourth,  and 
the  fifth,  the  solemnity  deepening  with  each  suc 
cessive  speaker.  The  sixth  and  last  spoke  to  this 
effect :  "  Thus  far  we  have  heard  at  this  session 
and  from  the  Northern  country  generally,  for  the 
most  part,  the  voice  only  of  the  excited  and  aboli- 
tionized  North.  I  believe  that  there  is  yet,  though 
silent,  a  patriotic  party  at  the  North  who  will  re 
spect  our  constitutional  rights.  If  there  be,  Mr. 


36: 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


Webster  will  utter  the  sentiments  of  that  party. 
He  is  soon  to  speak  in  his  place  in  the  Senate,  and 
if  he  scorns  us  we  must  fight."  Those  men  deferred 
to  this  wise  and  timely  counsel.  That  week  Mr. 
Webster  did  speak.  The  tone  of  his  argument — and 
in  his  whole  life  there  were  few  that  were  more  im 
portant — when  he  began,  and  throughout  his  speech, 
was  kindly,  conciliatory,  and  appreciative  of  what 
had  been  done  by  the  South  in  securing  the  free 
dom  of  the  vast  domain  of  the  Northwest.  It  was 
widely  different  from  the  tone  of  those  who  seemed 
to  all  Southern  men  and  women  ready  and  more 
than  willing  to  let  loose  upon  them  the  fury  of  an 
insurrection  which  must  inaugurate  a  most  relent 
less  and  cruel  war.  Then,  going  on  to  the  question 
of  slavery  and  freedom  which  had  arisen  to  such  an 
alarming  height  between  the  North  and  the  South, 
he  urged  that,  in  the  Providence  of  God  and  by 
the  sudden  calling  of  the  people  to  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  by  the  act  of  that  people, 
the  actions  of  those  settlers,  practically  the  great 
question  at  issue  had  been  settled  forever,  so  far  as 
all  that  vast  territory  was  concerned,  in  favor  of 
freedom.  The  only  lands  remaining  in  dispute  were 
the  high  and  rugged  hills  of  New  Mexico,  and  the 
only  question — the  only  practical  question,  so  far  as 
territory  was  concerned — remaining  unsettled  be 
tween  conflicting  sections  of  the  Union,  was  the 
ridge  where  slavery  could  not  go.  As  a  friend  to 
the  feelings  of  a  section  of  the  country  already 
greatly  alarmed  and  distressed  in  view  of  their 
safety  and  interests,  as  a  patriot  and  statesman,  it 
is  plain  that  Mr.  Webster  could  take  no  other  course 
than  that  he  did  when  he  used  those  sublime  words: 


TAYLOR'S   ADMINISTRATION.  363 

"  I  would  not  take  pains  uselessly  to  re-enact  the 
will  of  God."  Mr.  Webster's  conciliatory,  patriotic, 
and  fearless  tone  was  offensive  to  the  over-zealous, 
who  could  neither  understand  his  wisdom  nor  ap 
preciate  his  motives ;  and  such  was  the  depth  of  in 
dignation  and  the  power  of  misrepresentation  on  their 
part,  that  for  one  of  the  noblest  actions  of  his  life 
he  was  denounced  as  a  traitor  to  freedom ;  and 
notwithstanding  his  great  services,  long  continued 
to  the  country,  in  his  native  State  and  in  Boston, 
Faneuil  Hall  was  closed  against  him,  and  its  noblest 
citizen  was  not  permitted  to  there  speak  in  his  own 
defense.  On  the  other  hand,  the  effect  upon  the 
South  for  a  little  while  was  hardly  less  than  mar 
velous.  For  weeks  after,  Webster's  speech  was  read 
by  che  people  of  South  Carolina;  they  would  have 
voted  for  Webster  by  acclamation  for  President ; 
but,  after  a  few  months  had  passed,  and  they  had 
thought  the  matter  over  more  calmly  and  fully, 
they  saw  that  in  nothing  had  Mr.  Webster  conceded 
any  principle  that  he  had  ever  advocated  before,  or 
deviated  a  hair  from  his  life-long  record.  At  that 
moment  the  consequence  of  the  speech  in  great 
measure  was  to  defer  the  action  of  the  South.  But 
there  was,  of  course,  no  permanent  prevention,  and 
so  the  irrepressible  conflict  still  went  on  till  the  issue 
was  joined  on  the  fields  of  battle. 

Under  the  array  of  facts  that  have  here  been 
presented  by  going  back  to  those  almost  forgotten 
days  in  our  history  which  were  never  well  understood 
at  the  North,  all  men  can  now  see  that,  had  the 
conflict  been  ten  years  earlier  than  it  was,  the 
North,  which  in  1861  was  everywhere  illy  prepared 
for  it,  would  have  been  far  less  prepared,  and  the 


364  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

South  better.  In  evidence  of  this  may  be  stated  a 
noticeable  fact  bearing  upon  the  question.  Few  are 
those  who  now  remember,  or  perhaps  ever  knew,  that 
in  those  days  spoken  of,  the  Legislature  of  the  great 
State  of  Georgia  voted  to  submit  to  the  people  of  that 
State  the  question  whether  it  should  remain  in  the 
Union.  Then  it  was  that,  by  the  untiring  exertions 
of  a  man  whose  services  to  his  country  at  that  time 
should  not  be  forgotten,  not  even  in  view  of  the 
record  he  made  afterward,  Howell  Cobb  canvassed 
the  State  from  its  southern  to  its  northern  boundary, 
and  was  largely  instrumental,  by  his  personal  effort, 
in  securing  the  somewhat  small  majority  of  18,000  in 
a  popular  vote  by  which  Georgia  then  decided  to 
remain  in  the  Union.  In  comparing  all  these  facts 
and  reflecting  upon  them,  no  one  can  fail  to  see  how 
large  a  debt  of  gratitude  the  country  owes  to  General 
Taylor,  and  that  with  him  in  this  meed  of  praise  and 
noble  effort  should  be  joined  forever  the  name  of 
Webster.  There  ever  were,  even  during  the  civil  war, 
Union  men — devoted  Union  men — in  the  Southern 
States.  Of  these,  in  the  early  days  that  have  been 
spoken  of,  Cobb  of  Georgia,  Clements  of  Alabama,  and 
Foot  of  Mississippi,  were  the  most  conspicuous;  but, 
unfortunately,  in  the  administration  of  Franklin  Pierce 
the  whole  patronage  of  the  Government  was  wielded 
by  Jefferson  Davis,  Secretary  of  War,  and  those  who 
joined  him  in  favor  of  men  violent  for  the  South, 
utterly  ignoring  the  past  high  services  and  claims  of 
such  men  as  those  just  named. 

An  incident  may  serve  to  illustrate  this  statement. 
The  election  of  Franklin  Pierce  was  measurably  sat 
isfactory  to  the  Union  sentiment  of  the  North. 
During  his  canvass  Union  Northerners  vouched  for 


TAYLOR'S   ADMINISTRATION.  365 

his  Union  sentiments,  especially  to  the  few  Union 
men  of  the  city  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  Yet 
a  Union  man  who  was  a  Democrat  had  been  ap 
pointed  by  a  Whig  President  collector  of  the  port 
of  Charleston  because  he  was  a  Union  man.  This 
man  was  removed  from  his  post  as  collector,  and  the 
man  was  put  in  his  place  who  had  led  an  assault  upon 
the  house  of  the  former  because  of  his  Union  princi 
ples.  Such  was  the  new  policy  after  the  election. 
The  consequences  of  discouraging  the  pronounced 
Union  men  on  the  part  of  those  who  controlled  the 
Government  of  the  United  States  were  disastrous  in 
the  extreme.  Old  leaders — Union  men  of  the  South — 
feeling  themselves  deserted  by  the  Administration, 
did,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  fall  under  the  influences  pre 
vailing  in  their  own  State  ;  and,  like  new  converts  to 
any  plausible  faith,  men  who  had  been  hitherto  strong 
Union  Whigs  and  Union  Democrats  strove  in  the 
coming  decade  to  outdo  the  advocates  of  nullifica 
tion  and  secession.  General  Taylor  bore  his  part 
firmly,  steadily,  and  conscientiously  throughout  this 
period  of  hope  and  fear,  and  for  no  instance  could 
any  influence  whatever  make  him  swerve  one  hair's 
breadth  in  the  fulfillment  of  his  loyal  promises,  and  in 
the  strict  adherence  to  the  full  meaning  of  his  oath  of 
office.  Zachary  Taylor  loved  the  old  flag  which  he 
had  followed  for  over  half  a  century  ;  yes,  he  greatly 
loved  the  whole  country  which  it  emblemized. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

CLOSING    SCENES. 

Concluding  remarks — White  House  routine — Mrs.  Bliss  at  the 
White  House — Some  gentle  criticisms — The  Fourth  of  July — 
The  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  Washington's  monument — 
President  Taylor's  part — The  heat  of  the  day — The  impru 
dences  of  the  President — His  sudden  sickness — The  general 
alarm — The  reports  pro  and  con — The  last  scene,  and  the  last 
words  of  President  Taylor — Millard  Fillmore,  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent — What  he  did — The  funeral  ceremonies — The  testimony 
of  Thomas  H.  Benton,  Daniel  Webster,  and  other  public  men 
— All  honor  to  the  American  soldier  ! 

THROUGH  the  winter  and  spring  of  1850  there 
was  at  the  White  House  the  usual  succession  of  morn 
ing  visits,  business  engagements,  cabinet  meetings, 
applications  for  office,  afternoon  and  evening  recep 
tions,  varied  here  and  there  by  public  dinners  to  the 
Supreme  Court,  the  members  of  the  diplomatic  corps, 
to  Senators  and  Representatives,  and  officers  of  the 
army  and  navy.  General  Taylor,  who  was  accustomed 
to  the  regularity  of  army  life,  soon  fell  into  the  routine 
of  duties  both  public  and  private,  and  became  in  the 
President's  house,  as  he  was  at  the  head  of  an  army 
in  the  field,  master  of  the  situation.  With  his  daugh 
ter,  Mrs.  Bliss,  and  the  friends  she  gathered  about 
her  to  aid  him,  all  matters  touching  public  and  social 
etiquette  were  arranged  not  only  to  his  gratification, 
but  were  beginning  to  receive  the  expressed  com- 


CLOSING   SCENES.  367 

mendations  of  the  press  of  the  country,  and  of  soci 
ety  generally.  It  takes  a  little  time  for  the  mem 
bers  of  any  family,  whatever  their  experience  or 
wherever  they  may  be  rated  in  the  social  scale,  to 
make  the  essential  adjustments  and  please  those  who 
make  it  a  business  to  sit  in  Washington  as  corre 
spondents,  and  detail  all  the  peculiarities  or  idiosyn 
crasies  as  well  as  the  imputed  virtues  of  the  new  in 
cumbents  of  the  President's  mansion. 

A  writer  inspecting  his  conduct  at  this  time  re 
marks :  "General  Taylor  seems  at  last  to  begin  to 
understand  his  duties,  and,  knowing  them,  he  has 
commenced  their  performance  with  the  same  zeal  and 
intelligence  that  marked  his  military  career."  The 
summer  came ;  Congress  was  still  in  session.  On  the 
seventy-fourth  anniversary  of  our  national  independ 
ence — the  4th  of  July,  1850 — Washington  saw  an  un 
usual  celebration.  It  was  the  time  when  the  corner 
stone  of  the  great  monument  to  George  Washington 
was  laid.  Senator  Foot,  of  Mississippi,  was  to  be  the 
orator  of  the  day.  Those  who  had  the  matter  in 
charge  invited  General  Taylor  to  ride  in  the  pro 
cession.  The  sun  of  July  was  extremely  hot.  Gen 
eral  Taylor  gladly  participated  in  these  ceremonies. 
The  procession  was  a  long  one,  and  passed  along 
several  streets  before  reaching  the  grounds  selected 
for  the  monument.  The  heat  affected  him  so  much, 
that,  when  he  left  his  carriage  to  take  a  seat  upon  the 
stand  prepared  for  him,  he  complained  of  some  giddi 
ness  and  headache.  He  declared  that  the  oppressive 
heat  was  worse  than  in  either  Florida  or  Mexico. 

There  was  an  immense  crowd,  and  the  formal 
ceremonies  were  quite  prolonged.  In  spite  of  his 
sudden  disabilities,  General  Taylor  gave  special  at- 


368  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

tention  to  the  ornate  address  of  Senator  Foot. 
Speaking  of  the  modesty  of  General  Washington, 
and  his  earnest  desire  to  flee  as  soon  as  possible 
from  the  irksomeness  of  public  life,  and  of  his  reluc 
tance  to  serve  a  second  term,  the  orator  showed  how 
his  friends  placed  the  matter  before  him  as  an  urgent 
public  duty.  One  who  was  present  wrote  to  a  North 
ern  paper  that  General  Taylor,  listening  to  these 
periods,  was  evidently  deeply  meditating  upon  what 
he  would  do  if  a  second  term  should  be  tendered 
him.  Perhaps,  however,  Taylor  was  thinking  how 
much  he  disliked  the  worry  of  the  new  details  that 
daily  had  devolved  upon  him,  and  how  glad  he 
should  be  when  the  time  came  to  put  off  the  burdens 
of  office  and  return  to  his  home  in  Louisiana.  Cer 
tainly,  General  Taylor  would  not  have  been  likely, 
judging  by  the  remarks  that  he  let  fall,  to  be  already 
plotting  for  a  re-election.  An  impartial  biographer 
would  now  feel  sure  that  he  would,  unless  constrained 
by  some  unforeseen  pressure,  have  formally  de 
clined  to  stand  for  a  second  term.  Notwithstanding 
the  heat,  the  dust,  and  the  fatigues  of  the  occasion, 
the  President  appeared  to  have  enjoyed  everything 
connected  with  the  celebration  of  this  event. 

It  is  only  within  a  few  years  that  the  grand  Wash 
ington  Monument  has  been  brought  to  completion. 
It  was  even  necessary,  years  later,  to  dig  deeply  and 
relay  the  foundations  with  great  care  and  expense. 
Every  American  rejoices  to  look  upon  it  now.  It  is 
a  lofty  and  beautiful  structure,  and  it  stands  there 
at  the  capital  to  remind  one  always  of  the  first  great 
leader  and  President ;  and  it  is  indeed  a  pleasure  to 
remind  ourselves  that  of  all  others  in  the  line  of 
Washington's  successors,  General  Zachary  Taylor, 


CLOSING   SCENES. 


369 


with  high  qualities  so  much  like  his,  laid  the  corner 
stone  of  his  monument,  and,  further,  that  it  was  the 
last  public  act  of  Taylor's  own  honorable  life. 

During  the  ceremonies  of  this  great  and  notable 
occasion  the  President  experienced  an  unusual  thirst, 
and,  as  was  his  habit,  he  endeavored  to  allay  the 
feverish  feeling  by  large  draughts  of  cold  water. 
With  a  few  companions,  as  soon  as  the  benediction 
was  pronounced  he  walked  slowly  around  the  monu 
ment,  and  then  over  the  grounds,  while  the  sun,  in  a 
cloudless  sky,  poured  its  direct  rays  upon  him.  But 
finally,  after  due  respect  had  been  shown  to  the 
memorial  and  its  environment,  he  returned  to  his 
carriage  and  drove  to  the  President's  mansion.  His 
next  unpleasant  feeling  was  that  of  extreme  hunger. 
Probably  he  had  the  usual  fever  or  biliousness  re 
sulting  from  the  prolonged  heat  and  the  too  abun 
dant  exercise  and  its  influence.  As  soon  as  he  reached 
home  he  partook  freely  of  refreshments,  eating  ber 
ries  and  cherries  more  abundantly  than  anything 
else.  The  troublesome  thirst  not  being  allayed  by 
several  glasses  of  water,  he  had  himself  furnished 
with  iced  milk,  which  he  also  partook  of  freely.  At 
the  usual  hour,  probably  about  six  o'clock,  he  sat 
down  to  dinner ;  and  at  this  meal  he  seemed  to  have 
an  abnormal  appetite  for  the  fruit,  eating  cherries 
again.  The  family  physician,  sitting  with  him, 
warned  him  against  this  evident  imprudence,  as  he 
knew  that  the  general  was  already  not  at  all  well. 

It  was  perhaps  an  hour  after  dinner  when  he 
became  violently  ill.  The  first  really  dangerous 
symptoms  were  painful  cramps,  which  were  soon  fol 
lowed  by  a  severe  attack  of  cholera  morbus.  The 
doctor  present  advised  the  usual  remedies,  but  the 


3;o  GENERAL   TAYLOR/ 

general  was  loath  to  take  them,  as  he  believed  one  so 
strong  as  himself  could  do  without  medicine.  He 
declared  his  attack,  which  he  was  sure  resulted  from 
eating  too  much  fruit,  would  soon  pass  away.  Even 
his  family  physician  believed  at  first  that  his  strong 
constitution  and  superb  physique  would  overcome 
the  temporary  disability. 

But  by  eleven  o'clock  that  night  the  terrible  pain 
had  increased,  and  the  cholera  morbus  would  not 
yield  to  treatment.  His  family,  including  the  physi 
cian,  were  already  full  of  alarm  as  to  the  results  un 
less  some  extraordinary  remedy  could  be  made  to 
produce  a  reaction.  The  alarm  of  the  household 
soon  spread  to  the  streets,  to  the  city,  and  to  the  na 
tion  :  "  President  Taylor  is  dangerously  ill !  "  Sub 
stantially  the  same  symptoms,  only  abating  at  inter 
vals,  continued  up  to  the  close  of  that  long-to-be-re 
membered  6th  of  July.  Then  Dr.  Weatherspoon,  the 
trusted  family  physician,  invited  Drs.  Coolidge  and 
Hall,  of  Washington,  for  consultation  ;  these  three 
sent  for  another  eminent  practitioner,  Dr.  Wood,  of 
Baltimore. 

As  these  abte  men  gathered  about  the  bed  and 
took  in  the  situation  they  shook  their  heads  to  each 
other,  though  they  spoke  hopefully  to  the  family ; 
for  already  this  attack,  very  like  Asiatic  cholera, 
had  reduced  the  strong  man  to  a  state  of  great  de 
bility  and  weakness.  Very  soon,  however,  the  symp 
toms  appeared  more  favorable.  The  doctors  seemed 
to  be  getting  the  mastery  of  the  disease.  But,  as 
was  natural,  a  remittent  fever  with  typhoidal  threat- 
enings  made  its  appearance.  While  they  found  in 
their  patient  scarcely  strength  enough  to  resist  the 
first  attack,  this  second,  less  virulent  but  more  insidi- 


CLOSING   SCENES.  37! 

ous,  everybody  saw  had  at  its  beginning  put  his  life 
in  imminent  peril. 

It  was  not  as  in  days  more  recent,  when  Presi 
dent  Garfield  after  his  desperate  wounding  lay  at 
the  White  House — when  the  news  was  communi 
cated  by  hourly  bulletins  to  every  part  of  the  na 
tion,  and  every  day  to  every  part  of  the  civilized 
world  ;  still  there  was  an  unusual  circulation  and  a 
great  public  manifestation  of  sympathy.  Crowds  of 
people  were  waiting  outside  to  catch  the  first  news 
of  the  President's  condition.  The  messages  sent 
from  the  sick-room,  however,  never  seemed  to  give 
much  relief.  As  is  always  the  case,  the  political 
combats  were  hushed,  and  all  began  to  remember 
the  long,  grand  service  of  the  old  general,  and 
to  say  something  in  his  favor.  It  is  a  good  thing 
that  from  the  days  of  Rome  till  now  it  is  custom 
ary  to  hush  the  voice  of  accusation  and  hostility 
in  the  presence  of  the  dying  and  the  dead.  It  is 
said  that,  in  those  days  of  great  and  intense  anxi 
ety  on  the  part  of  the  people  who  crowded  the 
streets  and  avenues  of  the  city,  a  special  orderly 
was  stationed  in  front  of  the  White  House  to  hear 
the  applications  for  news  and  receive  the  messages  of 
friends  and  convey  tidings  as  best  he  could  to  those 
who  inquired  after  the  suffering  President.  Over 
and  over  during  the  8th  the  messenger  said:  "I 
am  sorry  to  say  that  the  President  is  no  better  !  " 
Then  the  inquirer,  and  those  who  were  bending 
their  heads  to  catch  his  words,  would  turn  sorrow 
fully  away,  their  places  to  be  immediately  filled  by 
other  waiting  friends.  The  gth  of  that  hot  July 
brought  no  relief;  all  the  morning  there  was  a  gen 
eral  feeling  of  gloom  pervading  all  classes.  The 


372 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


messages  that  broke  the  monotony  among  the  out 
side  watchers  gave  but  a  momentary  change.  Yet 
once,  before  noon,  a  rumor  was  started,  and  gained 
extensive  credence,  that  the  President  was  better, 
and  there  was  everywhere  quite  a  cheerful  reaction. 
At  one  o'clock  another  rumor  came,  and  spread 
through  the  city  :  "  President  Taylor  is  dead  !  " 
This  false  report  brought  to  the  out -door  mes 
senger  an  official  statement  that  the  President  still 
lived  ;  that  he  had  taken  a  favorable  turn,  and 
certainly  the  physicians  did  not  look  for  his  speedy 
decease. 

What  a  change  came  over  the  sympathizing  peo 
ple  !  They  cheered,  they  shouted.  They  ran  to  the 
churches  and  rang  the  bells,  and  each  accosted  his 
neighbor,  "  Glad  to  hear  the  good  news ;  the  general 
is  out  of  danger."  As  the  ball  in  fresh  snow  gath 
ers  volume  as  it  rolls  along,  so  the  doctor's  official 
bulletin  grew,  till  thousands  believed  that  the  crisis 
had  passed,  and  that  the  people's  favorite  President 
was  happily  convalescent.  Still  the  concourse  around 
the  mansion  only  increased,  for  there  were  counter- 
rumors,  and  by  seven  o'clock  at  evening  word  came 
from  within:  "  The  President  is  worse;  he  is  dy 
ing."  There  were  finally  gathered  around  him  his 
medical  men  before  mentioned,  his  family,  consisting 
of  his  beloved  wife,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Bliss  (his 
daughter),  his  brother,  Colonel  Taylor  and  family, 
General  Jefferson  Davis  and  family.  The  Vice-Presi- 
dent,  Millard  Fillmore,  with  several  Congressmen, 
members  of  both  Houses,  a  few  foreign  ministers,  all 
the  Cabinet,  and  a  number  of  close  personal  friends, 
were  also  there.  At  a  little  after  ten  o'clock  the 
doctors  whispered  that  he  would  soon  breathe  his 


CLOSING    SCENES. 


373 


last.     They  then  stepped  back  to  let  the  family  and 
the  clergyman  approach  the  bedside. 

Mrs.  Taylor,  before  entering  the  room,  could  not 
believe  that  he  was  dying,  yet  in  her  intense  anxiety 
two  or  three  times  she  fainted.  The  minister  led 
in  a  quiet  prayer  for  essential  spiritual  strength  to 
the  sufferer  while  he  was  treading  the  dark  valley 
now  so  heavy  with  shadows.  "  After  the  prayer," 
writes  a  journalist,  "  he  seemed  refreshed,  and  called 
for  a  glass  of  water.  It  was  given  him,  and  he  drank 
sparingly."  He  asked  Dr.  Weatherspoon  how  long 
he  should  last.  "  I  hope  for  many  years,  but  " — 
after  a  pause  the  honest  doctor  said,  "  I  fear  not 
many  hours."  "  I  know  it,"  the  general  promptly 
answered,  then  wished  for  a  word  with  his  family. 
Those  present  never  could  forget  that  interview. 
The  wife  and  mother  fell  prostrate  at  his  bedside, 
and  his  children  sobbed  aloud.  Of  course,  last 
words  are  not  all  important,  yet  men  like  to  record 
them. 

Some  one  said,  "  Are  you  comfortable,  general  ? " 

"  Very,"  he  answered,  "  but  the  storm,  in  passing, 
has  swept  away  the  trunk." 

Again  he  spoke  :  "  I  am  about  to  die.  I  expect 
the  summons  very  soon.  I  have  endeavored  to  dis 
charge  all  my  official  duties  faithfully.  I  regret 
nothing,  but  am  sorry  that  I  am  about  to  leave  my 
friends."  These  were  the  last  words  of  Zachary 
Taylor.  He  turned  his  dying  face  toward  his  sob 
bing  wife  and  seemingly  tried  to  speak,  and  so 
breathed  his  last. 

General   Taylor's   Cabinet   without  delay  waited 
upon  the  Vice-President,  Mr.  Fillmore,  and  made  to 
him — what  he  already  knew — the  announcement  of 
25 


374 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


the  President's  death.  He  immediately,  as  he  was  in 
duty  bound,  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  office.  On 
the  morrow,  the  loth  of  July,  he  again  stood  in  his 
place  in  front  of  the  Senate,  and  officially  spoke  the 
sad  words  of  bereavement.  As  then  arranged,  the 
Chief-Justice,  at  noon  of  that  day,  in  the  presence  of 
both  Houses  of  Congress,  administered  to  him  (Mil- 
lard  Fillmore)  the  oath  which  is  prescribed  for  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  he  entered  sadly 
but  bravely  upon  the  new  duties  which  were  so  sud 
denly  devolved  upon  him. 

A  good  President  is  a  blessing  to  these  States; 
but  in  case  of  sudden  death  it  is  for  a  time  an  ex 
tremely  difficult  place  to  fill.  The  virtues  of  the  de 
parted  are  uppermost  in  men's  minds,  and  at  this 
juncture  they  usually  find  fault  with  the  new  incum 
bent.  As  Commander  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  Presi 
dent  Fillmore  published  a  general  order  which  was 
beautifully  true  of  the  deceased,  and  will  ever  do 
honor  to  himself  as  General  Taylor's  successor.  It 
shows  for  itself :  "  The  President  of  the  United 
States,  with  profound  sorrow,  announces  to  the  army 
and  navy  and  marine  corps  the  death  of  Zachary 
Taylor,  late  President  of  the  United  States.  He 
died  at  the  Executive  mansion  on  the  night  of  the 
9th  instant,  at  half-past  ten  o'clock.  His  last  public 
appearance  was  while  participating  in  the  ceremonies 
of  our  national  anniversary,  at  the  base  of  the  monu 
ment  now  rearing  to  the  memory  of  Washington.  His 
last  official  act  was  to  affix  his  signature  to  the  Con 
vention  recently  concluded  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain.  The  vigor  of  a  constitution  strong 
by  nature,  and  confirmed  by  active  and  temperate 
habits,  had  in  later  years  become  impaired  by  the 


CLOSING   SCENES. 

arduous  toils  and  exposures  of  his  military  life. 
Solely  engrossed  in  maintaining  the  honor  and  ad 
vancing  the  glory  of  his  country,  in  a  career  of  forty 
years  in  the  army  of  the  United  States  he  rendered 
himself  signal  and  illustrious.  An  unbroken  current 
of  success  and  victory,  terminated  by  an  achievement 
unsurpassed  in  our  annals,  left  nothing  to  be  accom 
plished  for  his  military  fame.  His  conduct  and  cour 
age  gave  him  this  career  of  unexampled  fortune,  and, 
with  the  crowning  virtues  of  moderation  and  human 
ity  under  all  circumstances,  and  especially  in  the  mo 
ment  of  victory,  revealed  to  his  countrymen  those 
great  and  good  qualities  which  induced  them,  unso 
licited,  to  call  him  from  his  high  military  command 
to  the  highest  civil  office  of  honor  and  trust  in  the 
republic;  not  that  he  desired  to  be  first,  but  that  he 
was  felt  to  be  worthiest.  The  simplicity  of  his  char 
acter,  the  singleness  of  his  purpose,  the  elevation  and 
patriotism  of  his  principles,  his  moral  courage,  his 
justice,  magnanimity,  and  benevolence,  his  wisdom, 
moderation,  and  power  of  command,  while  they  have 
endeared  him  to  the  heart  of  the  nation,  add  to  the 
deep  sense  of  the  national  calamity  in  the  loss  of  a 
Chief  Magistrate  whom  death  itself  could  not  appall 
in  the  consciousness  of  '  having  always  done  his  duty.' 

"  The  officers  of  the  army  and  of  the  navy  and 
marine  corps  will,  as  a  manifestation  of  their  re 
spect  for  the  exalted  character  and  eminent  public 
services  of  the  illustrious  dead,  and  of  their  sense  of 
the  calamity  the  country  has  sustained  by  this  afflict 
ing  dispensation  of  Providence,  wear  crape  on  the 
left  arm  and  upon  the  hilt  of  the  sword  for  six 
months.  It  is  further  directed  that  funeral  honors 
be  paid  at  each  of  the  military  posts,  according  to 


376 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


the  general  regulations,  at  navy  yards,  and  on  board 
all  the  public  vessels  in  commission,  by  firing  thirty 
minute-guns,  commencing  at  meridian  on  the  day 
after  the  receipt  of  this  order,  and  by  wearing  their 
flags  at  half-mast." 

On  the  following  Saturday,  July  i3th,  Rev.  Dr. 
Pyne,  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  conducted  the  funeral 
services  at  the  President's  mansion.  His  sermon  was 
a  most  touching  tribute  to  the  memory  of  a  good 
man.  The  family,  though  not  in  the  room  with  the 
casket,  were  within  hearing.  The  procession  along 
the  avenue  was  over  a  mile  in  extent,  and  multitudes 
waited  at  the  cemetery  at  Capitol  Hill.  An  unusual 
circumstance  was  the  manner  in  which  the  artillery 
fired  their  minute-guns  while  the  remains  were  pass 
ing  from  the  White  House  to  the  tomb.  The  salute 
began  in  front  of  St.  John's  Church,  was  taken  up 
by  a  detachment  near  the  City  Hall,  and  continued 
by  another  at  the  Capitol.  The  final  volley  was  given 
at  the  vault — a  temporary  resting  place — for,  a  few 
months  after  the  ceremonies,  General  Taylor's  im 
mediate  friends  and  relatives  removed  his  remains, 
to  be  deposited  not  far  from  the  old  homestead  at 
Louisville,  Ky.  The  entire  route  was  thronged  with 
the  people  who  were  desirous  to  show  respect  to  his 
heroic  memory,  and  there  were  appropriate  ceremo 
nies  in  many  halting  and  resting  places  during  the 
long,  sad  journey. 

The  books  of  records  contain  many  eulogies  upon 
our  hero.  Meetings  were  everywhere  held,  and  party 
lines  were  for  a  time  ignored,  as  in  the  presence  of  a 
great  calamity  ;  and  a  love  whose  existence  a  few 
months  before  General  Taylor  would  like  to  have 
known,  was  now  everywhere  manifested.  Even 


CLOSING   SCENES. 


377 


Benton,  who  was  to  have  been  the  Lieutenant-Gen 
eral,  with  a  view,  under  President  Polk,  to  outrank 
this  veteran  warrior,  said  in  Congress  :  "  His  [Gen 
eral  Taylor's]  brief  career  showed  no  deficiency  of 
political  wisdom  for  want  of  political  training.  He 
came  into  the  administration  at  a  time  of  great  diffi 
culty,  and  acted  up  to  the  emergency  of  his  position. 
.  .  .  His  death  was  a  public  calamity.  No  man 
could  have  been  more  devoted  to  the  Union  or  more 
opposed  to  slavery  agitation ;  and  his  position  as  a 
Southern  man  and  a  slave-holder,  his  military  repu 
tation,  and  his  election  by  a  majority  of  the  people 
and  of  the  States,  would  have  given  him  a  power 
in  the  settlement  of  these  questions  which  no  Presi 
dent  without  these  qualifications  could  have  pos 
sessed.  In  the  political  division  he  classed  with  the 
Whig  party,  but  his  administration,  as  far  as  it  went, 
was  applauded  by  the  Democracy,  and  promised  to 
be  so  to  the  end  of  his  official  term." 

And  Daniel  Webster,  who  once  thought  that  such 
a  nomination  as  that  of  Zachary  Taylor  ought  not 
to  have  been  made,  had  many  strong  and  true  words 
to  speak  of  the  departed  :  "  I  believe  he  was  espe 
cially  regarded  as  a  firm  and  a  mild  man  in  the  ex 
ercise  of  authority  ;  and  I  have  observed  more  than 
once,  in  this  and  other  popular  governments,  that 
the  prevalent  motive  of  the  masses  of  mankind  for 
conferring  high  honors  upon  individuals  is  a  con 
fidence  in  their  mildness,  their  paternal,  protecting, 
prudent,  and  safe  character.  ...  I  suppose  that  no 
case  ever  happened,  in  the  very  best  days  of  the  Ro 
man  republic,  when  a  man  found  himself  clothed 
with  the  highest  authority  in  the  state,  under  cir 
cumstances  more  repelling  all  suspicion  of  personal 


378  GENERAL   TAYLOR. 

application,  of  pursuing  any  crooked  path  in  poli 
tics,  or  of  having  been  actuated  by  sinister  views 
and  purposes,  than  in  the  case  of  this  worthy  and 
eminent  and  distinguished  and  good  man." 

If  his  political  rivals  and  political  opponents 
spoke  thus  of  General  Taylor,  we  can  imagine  some 
thing  of  the  beauty  and  strength  of  the  words  of 
approbation  and  praise  that  fell  from  the  lips  of 
his  ardent  friends.  It  seemed,  then,  that  he  was 
cut  off  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness,  and  that 
his  work  was  left  incomplete.  But  it  does  not 
appear  so  now  to  the  eyes  of  a  new  generation.  By 
this  man's  leadership,  with  the  aid  of  those  who  had 
to  co-operate  with  him,  the  nation  was  enlarged,  and 
yet  preserved  from  a  meditated  disruption.  The 
great  conflict  which  was  to  afflict,  winnow,  and  pu 
rify  the  whole  people  was  postponed,  as  we  have 
seen,  through  Taylor's  integrity,  ability,  firmness, 
and  unswerving  patriotism,  for  more  than  a  decade. 
Then,  when  he  became  President,  had  the  rebellion 
come  and  he  been  leading  it,  the  republic  would 
probably  have  perished,  for  no  united  sufficient  force 
could  at  that  time  have  been  organized  and  put  into 
the  field.  The  Lord  be  praised  that  he  was  incor 
ruptible  ;  that  he  was  a  generous  friend  of  the  Ameri 
can  Union  !  All  honor,  under  a  guiding  Providence, 
to  the  memory  of  the  genuine  American  nobleman, 
ZACHARY  TAYLOR ! 


INDEX. 


Abercrombie,   Major   John    J., 

164. 

Agua  Nueva,  the,  300. 
Aguirre,  Jose    Maria   de,    194, 

211,  219,  221. 
Allen,  Captain  George  W.,  62, 

67,  108. 

Alligator,  58,  60. 
Allison,  J.  S.,  306. 
Ampudia,  General  Pedro  de,  97, 

153,  174,  177,  182,  245,  253. 
Andrade,   Colonel    D.    Miguel, 

244, 248. 

Andrews,  Captain  George,  68. 
Arista,    General    Mariano,    87, 

112, 114,  126, 130. 
Atchison,  David  R.,  316. 
Atkins,  General  Henry,  45. 
Aviaka  (Sam  Jones),  60. 
Ay  res,  Elisha,  19. 

Babbitt,      Lieutenant       Edwin 

Burr,  70. 

Backus,  Captain  Electus,  165. 
Ballarta,  Captain,  254,  258. 
Bancroft,  Hon.  George,  85. 
Barbour,  Captain  P.  N.,  121. 
Barren,  Commodore  James,  30. 
Baton  Rouge,  7,  77,  78- 


Belknap,  Colonel   William   G., 

106,  275. 

Bell,  Hon.  John,  326. 

Benton,   Thomas  H.,  325,  366, 

377- 
Bissell,    Colonel    William    H., 

255- 

Black  Hawk,  46,  47,  48. 
Blaine,    Hon.    James    G.,    81, 

326. 
Blake,    Lieutenant    Jacob    E., 

107,  127. 

Blakey,  Lieutenant,  68. 
Blanchard,   Captain   Albert  G., 

155- 
Blanco,    Colonel    D.    Santiago, 

248,  257. 
Bliss,  Mrs.  Bettie,  300,  314,  324, 

366. 
Bliss,  Colonel  William    W.  S., 

324- 

Blucher,  Field  Marshal,  260. 
Bowles,    Colonel    William    A., 

256. 
Bragg,    Captain    Braxton,    104, 

158,  175,  251,  278. 
Brant,  Major  Joshua  B.,  70. 
Brent,  Lieutenant  Thomas  Lee, 

278. 


380 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


Brook,    Lieutenant    Francis  J., 

71. 

Brown,  Captain  Jacob,  116  ,123. 
Bryan,       Lieutenant       Francis 

Theodore,  278. 
Buchanan,   Captain  Robert  C.. 

121. 

Buchanan,  Hon.  James,  316. 
Buena  Vista,  Battle  of,  3,  234. 
Burbank,  Lieutenant  John  G., 

122. 

Burr,  Colonel  Aaron,  22. 
Butler,  General  E.  G.  W.,  274. 
Butler,    General    William    O., 
157,  167,  235,  312. 

Calhoun,    Hon.   John    C.,    303, 

325,  348,  356. 

Camargo,  movement  on,  144. 
Campbell,  Colonel  W.  B.,  166. 
Carr,  George,  8. 
Cass,  Lewis,  312,  325. 
Center,  Lieutenant  John  P.,  63, 

72. 
Chadbourn,  Lieutenant  Thomas 

L.,  122. 

Chase,  Hon.  Salmon  P.,  326. 
Chevalie,    Major    Michael    H., 

1 60. 
Childs,         Lieutenant  -  Colonel 

Thomas.   68,    108,    in,   155, 

170. 
Churchill,    Lieutenant   William 

H.,  TOS. 

Clark,  Dr.  Lemuel  B.,  36. 
Clay,  Henry,  79,  274,  283,  296, 

304,  312,  325,  259. 
Clay,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hen 
ry,  Jr.,  267,  276. 
Clayton,  John  M.,  323. 


Clemens,  Jeremiah,  364. 
Clifford,  Nathan,  326. 
Clinch,  General  D.  L.,  50. 
Coahuila,  Governor  of,  223. 
Cobb,  Howell,  364. 
Cochrane,   Lieutenant    Richard 

E.,  122. 

Cohua,  John,  61. 
Collamer,  Jacob,  326. 
Conde,  General  Garcia,  167. 
Conner,     Commodore      David, 

126,  129. 

Conner,  Captain  John  H.,  256. 
Conrad,  Robert  Taylor,  26. 
Cooke,    Dr.    (Missouri    Volun 
teers),  70. 
Coolidge,    Dr.    (of    Baltimore), 

370. 

Coronation  Chamber,  the,  148. 
Corpus  Christi,  3,  85,  87,  88. 
Corwin,  Thomas,  326. 
Couch,  Lieutenant  Darius  Nash, 

278. 
Cram,  Captain  Thomas  J.,  91, 

92. 
Crane,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ich- 

abod  B.,  53. 

Crawford,  George  W.,  323. 
Crittenden,  Thomas  L.,  292. 
Crosman,  Captain  George  H.,  68. 
Cross,  Colonel  Trueman,  100. 
Curd,  Captain  Thomas  J.,  69. 

Dade,  Major  Francis  L.,  49. 
Dallas,  George  M.,  316. 
Davenport,    Lieutenant-Colonel 

William,  52,  66. 
David,  King,  127. 
Davis,  Colonel  Jefferson,  166, 

175,  254,  274,  325,  364. 


INDEX. 


331 


Diaz,  General  Porfirio,  12. 
Dobbins,    Lieutenant     Stephen 

D.,  122. 

Donaldson,     Lieutenant   James 

Lowry,  268,  278. 
Donelson,  Hon.  Andrew  J.,  84. 
Donniphan,  Colonel  Alexander 

M.,  142. 

Douglass,  Hon.  Stephen  A.,  326- 
Duncan,    Captain    James,    106, 

in,  121,  155,  159,  176. 

El-ska-wa-ta-wa,  the  Prophet,  27. 
Engineer  Corps,  172. 
Everglades  of  Florida,  48. 
Ewing,  Hon.  Thomas,  323. 

Fillmore,  Hon.  Millard,  313, 
366,  372. 

Flanagan,  Lieutenant,  68. 

Florida,  war  in,  48. 

Foote,  Hon.  Henry  S.,  364. 

Foster,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Will 
iam  S.,  63,  67. 

Foster,  Captain  James  F.,  93. 

Fort  Frazer,  66. 

Fowler,  Lieutenant  S.  H.,  122. 

Fremont,  General  John  C.,  142. 

French,  Lieutenant  Samuel 
Gibbs,  278. 

Fry,  James  Reese,  26,  46,  113, 

122. 

Gaines,  General  Edmund  P.,  69, 

127,  143,  285. 

Galana,  General  Garza,  290. 
Garfield,  Hon.  James  A.,  371. 
Garland,      Lieutenant  -  Colonel 

John,  133,  138. 
Gates,  Lieutenant  C.  R.,  122. 


Gentry,    Colonel    Richard,    57, 

68,  71. 

Gillam,  Captain  William,  68. 
Gorman,  Major  W.  A.,  251. 
Graham,  Major  John,  67. 
Grant,  General  U.  S.,  4,  43,  154, 

273,  282. 

Greeley,  Horace,  314. 
Griffin,  Lieutenant  George  H., 

69. 
Gordon,  Captain  William,  30. 

Hale,   Hon.  John  P.,  326,  343, 

353- 

Hall,  Dr.  (of  Washington),   370 

Hamer,  General  Thomas  L., 
167. 

Hamlin,  Hon.  Hannibal,  326. 

Hannah,  Dr.  (Missouri  Volun 
teers),  70. 

Hardee,  Captain  William  J., 
103,  126. 

Hardin,  Colonel  John  J.,  243, 
270,  276,  283. 

Harney,  Colonel  William  Selby, 

74- 
Harrison,  Lieutenant  Joseph  P., 

70. 
Harrison,   Captain  William  H. 

23,  27. 

Hase,  Lieutenant  John  F.,  69. 
Hays,    Colonel    John    G.,    155, 

171. 

Hays,  Lieutenant  William,  121. 
Henderson,   General  James  P., 

I5i,  179- 
Hill,    Captain    James    M.,   69, 

128. 

Holloway,  Mrs.  L.  C.,  76,  324. 
Hooe,  Captain  A.  S.,  122. 


382 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


Hooper,    Lieutenant    John    L., 

67. 

Hopkins,  General  Timothy,  39. 
Howard,  Lieutenant  Guy,  290. 
Howard,  General  Oliver  Otis,  7. 
Houston,  Hon.  Samuel,  80. 

Indian  Prophet,  the,  27,  31. 
Inge,  Lieutenant  Z.  M.  P.,  121. 
Iron  Duke,  the,  148. 

Jackson,  General  Andrew,  326. 
Jefferson,    Hon.     Thomas,    25, 

355- 
Jesup,  General  Thomas  S.,  50, 

69. 

Johnson,  L.  M.,  290. 
Johnson,  Reverdy,  316. 
Johnston,  General  J.  E.,  182. 
Jones,  President  Anson,  84. 
Jones,  General  Roger,  72. 
Jordan,  Lieutenant  Charles  D., 

122. 

Jumper,  57. 

Juvera,  General  D.  Julian,  244, 
248,  258. 

Kane,  Lieutenant  Elias    Kent, 

103. 
Kearney,  General  Stephen  W., 

142. 

Keokuk,  Indian  chief,  46. 
Ker,  Captain  Crogan,  102,  112, 

116,  121. 

Kerr,  Colonel  Crosman,  53. 
Kilburn,  General  C.  L.,  n,  262, 

278. 

King,  Colonel  William,  43. 
Kingsbury,  Lieutenant   Charles 

P..  250,  264. 


Kossuth,  Louis,  346. 

Lake  Okeechobee,  47. 

La  Motte,  Captain  Joseph  H,, 

165. 

Lane,  General  Joseph,  251,  259. 
La  Vega,  General  De,  120,  127. 
Lear,  Major  William  W.,  164. 
Lincoln,  Abraham,  4,  326,  345. 
Lincoln,  Captain   George,   276, 

283. 
Lincoln,    Governor   Levi,    274, 

284. 

Lano,  Senor  Manuel  M.,  182. 
Lojero,  General  Emiliano,  138. 
Lombardini,  General  D.  Manuel 

Mara,  245,  258. 
Lossing,  Benson  J.,  76. 
Lo  Valde,  Jesus,  290. 
Luther,  Lieutenant  Roland  A., 

in. 

Mackall,     Lieutenant    William 

W.,  119,  149,  155,  159,  176. 
Maclay,  Lieutenant  Robert  P., 

122. 

Macomb,  General  Alexander,  74. 
Madison,   Hon.  James,  25. 
Madre  Mountains,  241. 
Majia,    General    D.    Francisco, 

96,  251. 

Mansfield,  Edward  D.,  228. 
Mansfield,  Major  J.  K.  F.,  154, 

158,  166. 
Marcy,    William    L.,    83,     142, 

203,  209,  224,  284,  316. 
Marshall,    Colonel    Humphrey, 

240,  251,  274. 
Martin,  Lieutenant  James  Green, 

176. 


INDEX. 


383 


Mason,  Lieutenant  George  T.t 

103. 

Mason,  Hon.  James  M.,  326, 357. 
May,  Captain  Charles  A.,   106, 

120,  157,  239,  254,  278. 
Mayer,  Brantz,  298. 
McCall,    Captain     George    A., 

116,  119,  120. 
McClellan,  General  George  B., 

244. 

McClure,  Lieutenant  James,  70. 
McCulloch,     Major     Benjamin, 

239- 

Mclntosh,  Colonel  J.  S.,  122. 
McKee,   Colonel    William    R., 

251,  276,  283. 
McLaren,    Surgeon   Adam    N., 

70. 

McLean,  Justice  John,  317. 
McManus,  Dr.  Charles,  7. 
McRee,  Captain  Samuel,  128. 
Meade,  Lieutenant  George  G.,  ; 

155- 
Mercer,     Commander    Samuel, 

128. 

Meredith,  William  M.,  323. 
Mesquez,  Setter,  290. 
Matamoros,  occupation  of,  131. 
Mexican  Cossacks,  102. 
Mexican  War,  104. 
Miles,  Captain  Dixon  S.,  155. 
Mitchell,    Lieutenant  -  Colonel 

David  D.,  166. 
Mifion,  General  D.  Jose  Vieinte, 

239,  244,  268. 
Monroe,   Major   John,    56,    90, 

127,  176,  262,  278. 
Monterey,  battle  of,  3,  149. 
Montgomery,     Lieut.     Thomas 

J.,  128. 


Montgomery,   Captain  William 

R.,  108,  122. 
Morales,  General,  174. 
Morgan's  spies,  62,  68. 
Morris,     Captain    Charles     F., 

122. 

Morris,  Captain  Lewis  N.,  108. 
Morrison,  Major,  31. 
Muir,  Major  S.  C.,  31. 

Najera,  Colonel  Juan,  159. 
Nuevo  Leon,  state  of,  149. 
Noel,  Captain  Thomas,  63,  68. 

O  Brien,   Captain  J.   P.  J.,   251, 

278. 

Okeechobee,  battle  of,  60. 
Old  Whitey,  147,  148. 
Ortega,  General  D.  Jose  Maria, 

179,  245,  258. 
Osceola,  48. 
Ou-la-too-gee,  70. 

Pacheco,  General  D.  Francisco, 

244,  248,  258. 

Page,  Captain  John,  no,  127. 
Palo  Alto,  battle  of,  3,  109. 
Paredes,    General    D.   Mariano, 

203. 

Parks,  Captain  (Indian),  57. 
Parrodi,  General  D.  Anastasio, 

245- 
Patterson,  General  Robert,  207, 

216,  223,  235. 
Payne,  Colonel  M.  M.,  122. 
Perez,  General  Don  Francisco, 

270,  223. 
Perry,  Commodore  Matthew  C., 

223. 
Phillips,  Wendell,  343. 


384 


GENERAL   TAYLOR. 


Pierce,  Hon.  Franklin,  348,  355. 

Pillow,  General  Gideon  J.,  207. 

Pike,  Captain  Albert,  261,  278. 

Point  Isabel,  7,  105,  114. 

Polk,  Hon.  James  K.,  82,  140, 
195,  217,  303,  317,  377. 

Polk,  Mrs.  James  K.,  323. 

Pope,  Lieutenant  John,  158. 

Porter,  Captain  Andrew,  96. 

Porter,  Lieutenant  Theodoric 
Henry,  101. 

Pottawattamies,  The,  31. 

Preston,  William  B.,  323. 

Price,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ster 
ling,  57. 

Pyne,  Rev.  Dr.  (of  Washing 
ton),  376. 

Quitman,  General  John  A.,  146, 
166,  235. 

Ramsay,    Captain    George    D., 

128. 
Raquena,    General    D.    Tomas, 

130,  179. 
Renshaw,    Lieutenant     Francis 

B.,  128. 
Resaca  de  la  Palma,  battle  of, 

3,  119- 
Reynolds,   Lieutenant  John  F., 

263,  278. 
Ridgely,  Lieutenant  Randolph, 

no,  119,  168. 
Ringgold,    Major   Samuel,  106, 

in,  126. 

Rio  Grande,  3,  90,  133. 
Ritchie,    Lieutenant    John     I., 

235- 

Roane,  Colonel  John  S.,  251. 
Robinson,  Fayette,  83. 


Rogers,    Captain    William    P., 

68,  255. 
Roland,    Lieutenant    John   F., 

172. 
Romero,    General    D.    Manuel, 

155,  I5Q- 

Rough  and  Ready,  124,  148. 
Rucker,  Lieutenant  Daniel  H., 

261. 
Rusk,  Hon.  Thomas  J.,  81. 

Saltillo,  capture  of,  219. 
Sanchez,  General,  290. 
Sanders,     Captain    John,    128, 

155,  172. 

San  Juan  River,  150. 
Santa  Anna,  General  A.  L.  de, 

191,  211,  224,  234,  246,  274, 

291. 
Satterlee,  Surgeon  Richard  S., 

69. 

Sconce,  Major  John,  68. 
Scott,  Captain  J.  M.,  155,  165. 
Scott,  General  Winfield,  15,  79, 

142,  195,  217,  224,  312, 
Screven,   Captain    Richard    B., 

155,  171- 

Seldon,  Lieutenant  Joseph,  122. 
Seward,  Hon.  William  H.,  326. 
Sheridan,  General  Philip  H., 

260. 
Sherman,    Captain    T.    W.,  43, 

256,  278. 
Sherman,  General   W.  T.,   186, 

282. 

Shields,  General  James,  207. 
Shover,    Captain   William    H., 

255,  269,  278. 

Sibley,  Captain  Eben  S.,  128. 
Sierra  Madre  Mountains,  150. 


INDEX. 


335 


Simpson,  Surgeon  Josiah,  70. 
Smith,  Colonel  C.  FM  57. 
Smith,  Captain  Charles  F.,  119, 

1 60. 

Smith,  Miss  Margaret,  126. 
Smith,  General  Persifor  F.,  155, 

z6z. 

Smith,  Dr.  (of  Saltillo),  7- 
"St.  Patrick's"  Company,  245. 
Staniford,    Lieutenant  -  Colonel 

Thomas,  155,  159. 
Stanley,  Edward,  348,  355. 
Steen,  Captain  Enoch,  240,  255, 

27S. 
Stevens,     Lieutenant      George, 

132. 

Stewart,  Hon.  Andrew,  297. 
Stockton,    Commodore    Robert 

F.,  142. 

Stone  Eater,  37. 
Strathfieldsaye,  148. 
Strother,  Mary,  17. 

Tampa  Bay,  65,  66. 

Taney,     Chief  -  Justice      Roger 

Brooke,  317. 
Taylor,  Hancock,  18. 
Taylor,  Captain  Joseph  P.,  69, 

372. 

Taylor,  Mary,  18. 
Taylor,  Richard,  16. 
Taylor,  W.  D.  S.,  25. 
Taylor,  Mrs.  Zachary,  73,  299, 

373- 

Tecumseh,  27,  31. 
Thomas,  Major  Charles,  128. 
Thomas,  Lieutenant  George  H., 

263,  278, 
Thompson,    Lieutenant-Colonel 

Alexander  R.,  63,  71. 


Thornton,  Captain  Seth  B.,  102, 

126. 

Tompkins,  Captain  D.  D.,  53- 
Torena,  Miguel,  254. 
Torrejon,  General  D.  Anastasio, 

102,  156,  244,  271. 
Trail,  Major  Xerxes  F.,  256. 
Tus-ta-nug-gee,  70. 
Twiggs,  General  David  E.,  88, 

106,  126,  157,  170,  235. 
Tyler,  Hon.  John,  79. 


Uncle  Sam's  men,  47. 
United  States,  President  of 

85. 
Upham,    Dr.     Francis   W.,   91, 

348. 

Van  Buren,   Hon.    Martin,    51, 

302,  312. 
Van  Swearingen,  Captain  Joseph, 

7L 

Victoria,  Queen,  148. 
Vinton,  Captain  John  R.,  172. 
Von  Moltke,  Field  Marshal,  3. 

Walker,      Lieutenant  -  Colonel 

Samuel  H.,  172. 
Walker,  Lieutenant  William  H. 

T.,  68,  no. 
Wapello,  46. 

Warren,  Major  William  B.,  255. 
Warren,  General  Joseph,  267. 
Washington,  General  George,  4, 

17,  140,  245,  308,  345,  367. 
Washington,  Captain  J.  M.,  243, 

251,  278. 
Watson,      Lieutenant  -  Colonel 

William  H.,  164. 
Waterloo,  Battle  of,  148. 


386 


GENERAL    TAYLOR. 


Wayne,  General  Anthony,  22. 
Weathersford,  Colonel  William, 

243- 
Weatherspoon,    Dr.    Alexander 

S.,  370. 
Webster,  Hon.  Daniel,  302,310, 

312,  348,  360,  366,  377. 
Webster,    Captain     Lucien    B., 

168,  255. 
Wellington,  Duke  of,  109,  148, 

260. 

Westminster  Abbey,  148. 
Wheeler,  Captain  Erastus,  268. 
White,  Hon.  Herman,  348,  351, 
Whiting,  Lieutenant  Henry  M., 

278. 

Wilkinson,  General  James,  26. 
Williams,  Captain  William  G.. 

158. 


Wilmot,  Hon.  David,  145,  304. 
Wilson,       Lieutenant  -  Colonel 

Henry,  129. 
Wilson,   General   James  Grant, 

147. 

Winnebagoes,  the,  31. 
Wood,  Colonel  George  T.,  157. 
Wood,    Lieutenant    James    S., 

121. 

Wood,  Dr.  Robert  C.,  370. 
Woods,  Lieutenant  Samuel,  68. 
Wool,  General  J.  E.,   196,  201, 

217,  223,  232,  250,  276. 
Worth,  General  William  J.,  95, 

132,  146,  154,  179,  223. 
Wright,  General  H.  G.,  260. 

Yell,   Colonel    Archibald,    240, 
251. 


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ABRAHAM  LINCOLN :  The  True  Story  of  a  Great 

**•    LIFE.      By  WILLIAM  H.    HERNDON   and   JESSE  W.  WEIK. 

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pretext  or  another,  but  usually  upon  the  plea  that  he  was  the  central  figure  of  a  great 
historical  picture,  most  of  his  self-appointed  biographers  have,  by  suppressing  a  part 
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